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11Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Widespread Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan and the Potential for a Deepening Economic Collapse in Afghanistan: Message From The...
12Taking Additional Steps With Respect to the Situation in Syria: Message From the President of the United States (H. Doc. No. 119-12)
13Adjournment
1 member spoke
14Expenditure Reports Concerning Official Foreign Travel
15Deletions of Sponsors From Public Bills and Resolutions
Daily Digest
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced
66 public bills, H.R. 404-469; and 8 resolutions, H.J. Res. 19-20; and H. Res. 42-47, were introduced.
Pages H182-86
Reports Filed
There were no reports filed today. Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative De La Cruz to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H151
Recess
The House recessed at 11:03 a.m. and reconvened at 12 p.m.
Page H158
Recess
The House recessed at 12:20 p.m. and reconvened at 1 p.m.
Page H160
United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief
The House passed H.R. 33, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide special rules for the taxation of certain residents of Taiwan with income from sources within the United States, by a yea-and-nay vote of 423 yeas to 1 nay, Roll No. 15. H. Res. 5, the rule providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 33), was agreed to on Friday, January 3, 2025.
Pages H160-68, H170
Recess
The House recessed at 1:39 p.m. and reconvened at 4 p.m.
Page H168
Suspensions: Proceedings Resumed
The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures. Consideration began Monday, January 13th: Promoting Opportunities to Widen Electrical Resilience: H.R. 164, to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize Federal agencies to provide certain essential assistance for hazard mitigation for electric utilities, by a 2/3 yea- and-nay vote of 419 yeas to 2 nays, Roll No. 13 and
Pages H168-69
Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency
H.R. 144, to provide that the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 does not apply to certain reports required to be submitted by the Tennessee Valley Authority, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 423 yeas with none voting ``nay'', Roll No. 14.
Pages H169-70
Committee Elections
The House agreed to H. Res. 42, electing Members to certain standing committees of the House of Representatives.
Pages H170-71
Providing for the Attendance of the House at the Inaugural Ceremonies
The House agreed to H. Res. 43, providing for the attendance of the House at the Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the United States.
Page H171
Committee Elections
The House agreed to H. Res. 44, electing Members to certain standing committees of the House of Representatives.
Page H171
Meeting Hour
Agreed by unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. on Thursday, January 16th.
Page H171
Presidential Message
Read a message from the President wherein he notified Congress that the national emergency declared with respect to the widespread humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the potential for a deepening economic collapse in Afghanistan is to continue in effect beyond February 11, 2025--referred to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Financial Services and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 119-11).
Page H171
Presidential Message
Read a message from the President wherein he notified Congress of an Executive Order taking additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13894 of October 14, 2019 (Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Syria)--referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 119- 12).
Pages H171-72
Quorum Calls: Votes
Three yea-and-nay votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H168-69, H169, and H170. Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 6:23 p.m.
Every speech and line is the Congressional Record's own text, read from GovInfo. Speakers are matched to members by GPO's own metadata. Referandom places each turn on the Clerk's video by matching its words: 118 of 167 spoken turns were found. Turns without a time are still listed; they just can't seek.
Morning-Hour Debate
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of January 3, 2025, the Chair will now recognize Members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning-hour debate.
The Chair will alternate recognition between the parties, with time equally allocated between the parties and each Member other than the majority and minority leaders and the minority whip limited to 5 minutes, but in no event shall debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, last week the House and Senate oversaw the certification of the 2024 election. It was a quick, smooth process. There were no riots, no violence. We completed the peaceful transfer of power as the Founding Fathers envisioned it.
Now compare last week's election certification with what we witnessed 4 years ago. Thousands attacked the Capitol. They shattered windows, smashed down doors, assaulted police officers. It was a violent mob and people died as a result. It was all in an attempt to stop the certification of a legitimate election.
The insurrectionists and rioters threatened Vice President Pence and referred to him as ``dead man walking'' if he didn't illegally reject the election results.
Directly following January 6, leaders on both sides of the aisle spoke out against the antidemocratic acts of the day. Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the violence, destruction, and chaos we saw earlier was unacceptable, undemocratic, and un-American. It was the saddest day I have ever had serving as a Member of this institution.
Former Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was even more clear in his condemnation and assignment of blame. He said: ``There's no question, none, that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day,'' and, ``It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.''
Now, 4 years later, there is a concerted effort to rewrite history. Our incoming President has called January 6 ``a day of love,'' and others have claimed it was a legitimate form of protest.
Well, I was here. I saw the violence with my own eyes, and the scenes we witnessed will haunt this institution forever.
We need a clear accounting of what happened and a clear accountability to ensure this never happens again. Unfortunately, under this incoming President, it appears we will get neither.
The President-elect has said he wants to pardon the rioters. These are folks who have been convicted in a court of law. In a dark twist on accountability, the President-elect is threatening retribution against Democrats and Republicans who served on the committee that investigated January 6. They should go to jail, he said, of Members of Congress who sought to uncover the truth about January 6.
Let's recap. The people who broke into the Capitol, and injured 147 officers, and threatened to kill the Vice President should be pardoned, and the elected officials who performed their constitutional duty to investigate the largest mass assault of law enforcement officers and the greatest assault on our democracy should be jailed.
This is a perversion of the truth and justice.
For those of us who were here on Capitol Hill that day, who saw the violence, smelled the pepper spray, and heard the screams, we have an opportunity to remember that day for what it was: a dark stain on our Nation's history.
We have an opportunity to commemorate those in uniform who bravely stood up to the rioters. They didn't just protect me; they protected our Republic.
In 2022, Congress commissioned a memorial to be installed on the front of the Capitol listing the names of those who defended the Capitol on that fateful day. Three years later, it has yet to be mounted.
We should expect more. If we can't be honest about what happened on that day, if we can't, at a minimum, come together to put up a plaque commemorating those who protected us and some who gave their last full measure of devotion, then perhaps we should install a plaque like the one from ``Dante's Inferno,'' ``Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.''
Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor our January Veteran of the Month, Michael ``Mike'' Tracy.
Mike entered the Air Force Delayed Entry program in 1975 where he reported to basic training, Air Force leadership school, and Air Force Security Police School at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
After graduation, he was placed on orders to the 20th Security Police Squadron RAF Upper Heyford, England, home to the F-111E, NATO, and USAFE nuclear deterrent to the former Soviet Union.
When he returned to the U.S., he maintained his service after being discharged in the inactive reserve. In 1982, Mike rejoined the military as a private in the USAR in Spokane, Washington. He attended drill sergeant school and U.S. Armor School. He served as a preventive medicine specialist in Germany and participated in Operation Desert Storm.
Throughout injuries, surgeries, and reassignments, Mike served his country in many different roles. His final assignment brought him to Missouri at Whiteman Air Force Base in our district.
Madam Speaker, I thank Mike for his dedication and service. We appreciate him, and we are so glad that his journey brought him to the great State of Missouri. We salute him today.
Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor our January small business of the month, Janine's Flowers.
This fantastic business in Camdenton has been serving the lake area with floral artistry through weddings, proms, first dates, and so many other special occasions.
Janine's is a one-stop destination for all floral arrangements, special gifts, tuxedos, event supplies, and much more.
Back in September, Janine's celebrated their 45th anniversary where Janine Bullock, the original owner, shared captivating stories about the humble beginnings of this business.
It is now owned by Cassidy Dickerson, and Janine's Flowers will continue to make special occasions even more special. Janine was thrilled to pass the torch to Cassidy and knows she will build upon the strong foundation that was established.
Madam Speaker, I thank Janine's Flowers for providing Missouri's Fourth Congressional District with the highest quality floral arrangements and event services. I ask Missourians to not forget about Janine's as Valentine's Day is coming up.
Again, I congratulate Janine's Flowers as our January small business of the month.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Brenda Lovelady Spahn, the founder of The Lovelady Center in Birmingham, Alabama, who passed away on December 18, 2024, at the age of 75.
Miss Brenda founded The Lovelady Center in 2004 to rehabilitate women involved in the criminal justice system. Beginning with just seven inmates, the program rapidly grew into what is now the only State- supervised reentry program in Alabama and the largest faith-based recovery facility for women and children in the Nation.
Through the work of The Lovelady Center, Miss Brenda has touched the lives of more than 20,000 women and children, helping them to walk forward with faith-driven hope for the future. Guided by her abiding faith in God and her steadfast belief in the value of human life, Miss Brenda made it her mission to spread empowerment, hope, and redemption among the women she served.
Throughout her extraordinary life, she has received numerous awards and honors, including an honorary degree in humanitarian studies from Tennessee Temple University in 2012.
On a personal note, I am forever grateful for the opportunity I had to partner with Miss Brenda on behalf of the women and children of Jefferson County, Alabama, including the $2 million investment that we secured for The Lovelady Center in the fiscal year 2023 from the Federal budget.
I will always remember the warm, selfless, and kindhearted nature of Miss Brenda, and above all, her devotion to serving the most vulnerable members of our community.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the extraordinary life and legacy of Miss Brenda Lovelady Spahn. May her legacy live on in the many lives that she touched.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary career and achievements of Dr. Charles Steele, Jr., as he celebrates his retirement after 17 years as the president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
A true trailblazer, Dr. Steele has an accomplished career in both public service and civil rights advocacy. A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, he was elected to the Tuscaloosa City Council in 1985, a position he held for 2 years before being elected to the Alabama State Senate in 1994.
After serving three terms, Dr. Steele stepped down in 2004 to take over as the head of the SCLC. As the organization's president and CEO, Dr. Steele raised over $10 million and oversaw the groundbreaking of SCLC's new international headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Steele's reputation has always been one of great purpose and great passion. He is an honorable man, guided by an abiding faith in God and a love of country.
While his retirement will allow him some well-earned rest and time with loved ones, I know that his commitment to service will continue for years to come.
Madam Speaker, on behalf of a grateful Nation, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the retirement of Dr. Charles Steele, Jr., after 17 years as president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Guadalupe County Commissioner Greg Seidenberger on his well-deserved retirement after a lifetime of extraordinary service to our country and community.
Greg began his career with 20 years in the United States Air Force, serving as a command pilot during the Vietnam war and leading the squadron operating out of Seguin Auxiliary. He then served as a pilot for American Airlines for 18 years.
For the past 12 years, Greg has dedicated himself to Guadalupe County as commissioner for precinct 1, transforming the county and ensuring the foundation for a brighter future.
Mr. Speaker, I wish Commissioner Seidenberger a joyful retirement.
Mr. Speaker, just 5 days into my tenure as a Member of the House of Representatives, several large wildfires broke out across Los Angeles County: the Palisades fire, the Eaton fire, and the Hurst fire, which broke out in Sylmar on the northern end of my district.
I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, and I consider myself incredibly fortunate to represent it in Congress. The valley is a special place to so many people, including my own family, which makes the heartbreak of seeing images of it in danger sting deeper.
I flew home last week as soon as I saw the images of footage coming out of Los Angeles County to be home with my community and be helpful in any way that I could.
I have immense gratitude for the Los Angeles Fire Department, the first responders, and the firefighters who arrived from across the country and from
I also visited one of the evacuation centers at the Ritchie Valens Recreation Center to learn more about how staff and volunteers have been working around the clock to help those who were forced to evacuate.
I visited the burn sites of the Hurst and Eaton fires, where I was able to assess the damage firsthand and tried to get a better understanding of what Federal resources would be needed to help communities rebuild.
Throughout the week, I was in contact with the Federal Government, including the White House and FEMA, where I was able to advocate for the Federal support necessary to keep constituents safe during the emergency.
My congressional colleagues and I are focused on making sure our constituents and our communities have what they need to get through and recover from this emergency without any conditions.
This isn't about party or politics, and I am proud to have joined both of our Senators and 46 other bipartisan Members of California's congressional delegation in urging President Biden to sign a major disaster declaration so that the Federal Government can provide public assistance, individual assistance, and direct Federal assistance to our communities.
We are grateful that President Biden quickly signed the declaration, and my hope is that President-elect Trump will continue to provide resources so our constituents can immediately access the funds and resources that they need to rebuild their lives.
These fires are the costliest in California's history, and they are impacting everyone, regardless of income or party. Lives and livelihoods have been lost, and many more continue to be in danger. We want our constituents to know that disaster assistance is available and will be available to them. This assistance may include rental payments for temporary housing for those who lost their homes, grants for home repairs, unemployment payments for workers who have lost their job because of the fires, and crisis counseling for those who have been traumatized by this disaster.
Additionally, FEMA disaster assistance may be able to help those who have lost a home regardless if they were uninsured, had insurance, or underinsured. Visit disasterassistance.gov to get started.
My office is also ready to help those who have been impacted by the fires. If my constituents need assistance, I encourage them to reach out to my office, and we will be able to start advocating on their behalf to get the Federal resources that they need.
The San Fernando Valley is home, and I am honored to represent my home in Congress. That is why I am committed to working with our local, State, and Federal officials to make sure our community has the resources that it needs to rebuild stronger. Our community is strong and resilient, and we will help each other come back from this disaster.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the important contributions of A. Michael Hickox and his retirement as the property appraiser for Nassau County, Florida.
For 12 years, Mike has been an amazing public servant, committed to fairness and customer service. Let's be honest, Madam Speaker, being a property appraiser is probably one of the toughest jobs around, but Mike has done it well, skillfully, and leaves the office in a much better place.
While he was leading, Mike also served as the president of the Florida Association of Property Appraisers and then served on the boards of the Nassau Education Foundation and the Nassau County Economic Development Board.
To put it simply, Madam Speaker, Mike has spent his career serving others. Mike may not be our property appraiser anymore, but I know he is not done. I can't wait to see what he does next.
Madam Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in congratulating Mike on a job well done. Go get `em, Mike.
Madam Speaker, I honor the incredible life and legacy of Romulus Councilwoman Virginia Williams, who unexpectedly passed away. She has left a void in our community and in our hearts.
Councilwoman Williams was a relentless advocate for our families, ensuring that no one in our community lacked basic necessities. Her work with organizations like Forgotten Harvest and her creating her own organization because of her passion for organizing food drives, holiday giveaways, and joyful community events embodied her unwavering love for the city of Romulus and our families.
She was committed to always lifting up her neighbors, often going above and beyond to bring hope and resources to those in need. Her dedication reminds us all that even the smallest acts of kindness can build stronger, more connected communities.
Her legacy lives on in the countless lives she has touched. We are forever grateful for her service. I thank her family for sharing her with all of us and allowing us to honor her. My deepest condolences go out to them and all her loved ones during this difficult time.
Madam Speaker, I honor the life of former Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly, Jr. Our community lost an extraordinary leader whose dedication to public service shaped the city of Dearborn and our communities in Michigan forever.
Mayor O'Reilly served as the president of Dearborn City Council for nearly two decades and served a 15-year tenure as Dearborn's sixth mayor.
I still remember my first meeting with him when he was a council president during the time I was a young law student. Mayor O'Reilly was so patient in teaching me about how some community programs were successful while others struggled. He was a champion for workforce development. His patience and his depth of knowledge and willingness to teach me and so many others left a lasting impression, I know, on me.
I would have never thought that I would have the honor to be able to represent him here in the United States Congress. Mayor O'Reilly's kindness and thoughtful approach to leadership embodied what it truly means to be a public servant.
I thank Mayor O'Reilly, Jr.'s family for sharing him with all of us. I know it wasn't easy. My thoughts are with his family, his loved ones, and all who were fortunate enough to know him.
His legacy will continue to inspire future generations not only in Dearborn but throughout southeastern Michigan and beyond.
Madam Speaker, I recognize Wayne County Commissioner Abdul ``Al'' Haidous for his more than 40 years of public service to the city of Wayne and Wayne County and congratulate him on his retirement.
We lovingly call him Al. He was born in Lebanon and came to the city of Wayne five decades ago. He made a name for himself in the community, running Al's Friendly Market with the help of his wife, Mary, who I love dearly, for 35 years.
As the first Arab-American mayor in Wayne County, his leadership paved the way for future leaders and was an inspiration to so many of us. In 2014, he was elected to the Wayne County Commission. For 14 years, he served our residents with dedication and resilience, always focusing on bringing people together.
I thank Commissioner Haidous for his decades of public service. His legacy will continue to inspire our community in years to come. Please join
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Nick Bostic, a former pizza delivery man who saved five sisters from a burning house.
Just after midnight, July 11, 2022, Bostic was driving nearby when he saw the house in flames. Bostic entered the home, where he found an 18- year-old woman, a toddler, and two 13-year-olds outside the upstairs bedroom. He led them out of the house before running back inside to rescue the 6-year-old girl.
For his actions, Nick Bostic received the Carnegie Medal, given to American and Canadian citizens who put themselves in extreme danger while saving and attempting to save the lives of others. It is North America's highest honor for civilian heroism.
The entire Lafayette community is grateful for his courageous actions to save the lives of these young girls.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Brownsburg High School football team for winning the IHSAA 6A State championship this year.
The Brownsburg Bulldogs took on Westfield High School in the State finals in Lucas Oil Stadium and emerged victorious, with a final score of 22-17. This was Brownsburg's first State title in nearly 40 years, and I know this win has meant so much to the Brownsburg community cheering them on to victory.
I congratulate these outstanding student athletes on becoming State champions. They should be incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication that brought them this victory. I also congratulate the parents, coaches, and faculty who gave their time and talent to this team. They couldn't have done it without them.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Dr. Mark Russell, who recently retired from his position as a professor of agricultural sciences education and communication at Purdue University. Dr. Russell joined Purdue in 1982. From August of 2015 to September of 2022, Dr. Russell served as the head of the agricultural sciences department.
Dr. Russell has truly been a leader in the Purdue community. Thanks to his expertise, he has judged over 1,100 horse shows for national breed associations in 14 countries. Dr. Russell has also established and expanded multiple exchange programs around the world, growing the university's global presence and relationships.
He has been a stalwart professor at Purdue University's ag department, and his loss will be felt by the Purdue community and beyond. We wish him the very best as he begins this next chapter in his well-earned retirement.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of retired Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Peterson, a champion for southern Nevada's veteran community.
Chief Peterson was a highly decorated Army veteran and unrelenting advocate for those around him. After flying helicopters in the Army for more than 20 years, he came home to serve as the commander of the Henderson chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, to be a member of the Henderson Vietnam Veterans of America, and attend as many unaccompanied veteran burial ceremonies as he could find. He also went to every Veterans Treatment Court graduation and never hesitated to offer his support to fellow veterans in need.
To be clear, it is impossible to sum up Chief Peterson's decades of service in just one speech on the House floor. That is part of the reason why I had the privilege of working with the Library of Congress for his story to be part of the Veterans History Project.
While he has too many medals to name here, I can say this: Chief Peterson was a mentor, a father, a spouse, a leader, a friend, a protector, and a servant to both southern Nevada and our entire country.
I extend my condolences and prayers to Dan's wife, Eileen, and his four children and stepchildren. We all owe Dan a debt of gratitude. We will all miss him.
Mr. Speaker, this week, I returned from my district in southern California, which has been completely devastated by the Eaton fire.
In Altadena and northern Pasadena, the fire took our neighbors' lives and destroyed the structures that provided stability to countless families' hopes, dreams, and memories. The fire has destroyed over 7,000 structures; left 20,000 people homeless; forced numerous health centers to close; and burned schools, businesses, and community institutions to the ground.
This is just one of six serious fires across Los Angeles, including the more than 23,000-acre Palisades fire. Places that served as safe havens for generations of Angelenos and where community was built across the San Gabriel Valley are now unrecognizable.
The Altadena Community Church, Altadena mosque, Pasadena Jewish Temple, Armenian school, mom-and-pop business centers, Eliot Arts Magnet School, and Altadena Country Club were all burned to the ground.
When Black Americans fled racial segregation in the Jim Crow South and came to Los Angeles, many made Altadena their home because there was no redlining there preventing them from owning homes. It has remained a hub of Black culture and civic life in Los Angeles. After being forced into incarceration in camps during World War II, many Japanese Americans came to Pasadena and built their lives back up.
Last week, thousands had to flee their homes at a moment's notice, frantically searching for pets and crying out to loved ones, many with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. Thousands of people have lost their homes and a lifetime's worth of belongings and memories.
Tragically, first responders have found 16 people who lost their lives, and they expect that number to rise.
Anthony Mitchell, Sr., a dedicated father, died alongside his son while waiting for help. Just a week before the fires began, Anthony told his son that what he treasured most in life was not money or possessions but his family.
Victor Shaw died outside of his longtime family home with a garden hose in his hand. He did everything he could to save it.
Erliene Louise Kelly bought her home in Altadena with her late husband, Howard, in the late 1960s. Together, they raised two kids, watched their grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow, and celebrated holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries.
The Los Angeles wildfires are on track to become one of the most costly and devastating natural disasters in our country's history. Yet, scores of Republicans, led by President-elect Trump and Speaker Johnson, are threatening to place conditions on the State of California for disaster assistance to flow to these victims.
This is truly unprecedented. Never in our history has the Federal Government placed conditions on emergency disaster aid to our own citizens. I invite any Republican in Congress who is entertaining these demands to visit my district, see the devastation for yourself, and look the victims in the eye when you tell them they don't deserve help from their country because you disagree with certain policies passed by their State.
This is the United States of America. We help our citizens when they fall victim to a natural disaster, regardless of their political party or opinions. We do it without strings attached, like we did just in December, 4 weeks ago, for victims of Hurricanes Milton and Helene.
I look forward to working with the majority to secure critical disaster relief funding that is necessary for this vibrant, beautiful, unique region to recover and rebuild.
Mr. Speaker, this week, Prospect Medical Holdings, which owns Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in North Providence and Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, filed for bankruptcy, threatening to undermine Rhode Island's already-stressed healthcare system.
Unfortunately, this is a day that many of us feared would come because, for years, Leonard Green & Partners, the private equity firm that owned Prospect Medical, and executives of the company engaged in outrageous profiteering, buying up hospitals and extracting hundreds of millions of dollars of management fees and dividends, money that should have been spent on patient care.
In the decade that private equity firm Leonard Green owned Prospect Medical, they extracted over half a billion dollars from the hospitals they owned. Their partner, Prospect CEO Sam Lee, personally made more than $100 million, buying luxury properties for himself at the same time that he shut down emergency rooms. Shameful.
When I was State treasurer in 2020, I sent a letter to Leonard Green, expressing my frustration at their unethical practices and the impact they were having on healthcare in Rhode Island. In response, they put out a statement insisting that all was well and that the operations at Fatima and Roger Williams were doing just fine.
Now, 4 years later, wouldn't you know it, Prospect is declaring bankruptcy, threatening the health and safety of thousands of Rhode Islanders who rely on Fatima and Roger Williams and the livelihoods of the hundreds of healthcare workers who work in those hospitals.
The executives at Leonard Green and Prospect, who sucked all the money out of those hospitals, are long gone, counting their millions. It is greed, plain and simple.
I commend Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Attorney General Peter Neronha, who have been sounding the alarm about Prospect for years. I am committed to working with State officials and my colleagues in the Rhode Island congressional delegation to clean up the mess that Leonard Green left behind and to do our best to save Fatima and Roger Williams and stabilize our State's healthcare system.
Mark my words, we will not stop there. The time has come for Congress to take a hard look at the consequences of private equity ownership of hospitals. Rhode Islanders and the American people are counting on us for action, and they are going to get it.
Mr. Speaker, 4 years ago last week, a violent mob attacked our Nation's Capitol, assaulted police officers, and threatened to kill elected officials, all with the goal of blocking the results of the Presidential election and denying the will of the American people. They did it because the losing candidate in that election, President Donald Trump, incited them by falsely claiming he won.
On that dark day, hundreds of Capitol and Metropolitan Police officers bravely did their duty, putting their lives in harm's way to protect this building, the people in it, and our very democracy.
Over 140 police officers suffered injuries, including broken bones, concussions, and PTSD. They were attacked with baseball bats, axes, and chemicals, among other deadly weapons. In the weeks that followed, five officers died from their injuries.
The officers who served that day are all heroes who fought for our country and deserve our thanks and praise. Congress passed, and President Biden signed, a law to honor the Capitol Police officers who defended our country during the January 6 riots with a plaque here in the Capitol Building that they fought to defend.
Shamefully, Republicans in Congress continue to refuse to hang that plaque. Every day that my Republican colleagues delay is an insult to the brave officers who served on January 6 and who continue to protect us day in and day out.
Mr. Speaker, I say to my Republican colleagues: No more delays, no more disrespect. Hang the plaque now.
Every pivotal event in American history has heroes and cowards. January 6 is no different. History will always remember the heroic officers who risked their lives to defend our country and will also remember the cowards who refused to honor them.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President-elect.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the exceptional service of the Marine Corps League El Perro Diablo Detachment 478, based in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
New Mexicans have a long history of stepping up to serve our Nation, and these marines continue to honor that commitment. For decades, the members of this detachment have provided military funeral honors for our veterans, with several members participating in over 1,000 ceremonies and winning multiple awards at honor guard conferences.
During times when military families are experiencing one of the most difficult moments of their lives, marines step forward with unwavering dedication to ensure our Nation's heroes are laid to rest with the dignity they deserve. Their service to our community is a profound reminder of the values instilled in these marines: honor, courage, and commitment.
We must continue to support our veterans and their families, ensuring that they also receive the benefits and recognition that they have earned.
On behalf of all New Mexicans, I extend my deepest gratitude to the Marine Corps League El Perro Diablo Detachment 478.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my deep concern and disappointment with the passage of H.R. 28.
As a mother of teenagers in public schools, I am appalled that instead of addressing urgent challenges, like the youth mental health crisis, gun violence in our schools, and the growing teacher shortage, this legislation diverts our attention to dangerous and divisive policies.
H.R. 28, under the guise of protecting fairness in sports and safety in schools, risks undermining the rights and dignity of girls and young women. Let me be clear: This bill threatens the very foundation of Title IX, the landmark legislation that, for over 50 years, has protected millions from gender-based discrimination in education.
Patsy Mink, the trailblazing Congresswoman who championed Title IX, understood the deep injustices women face in education and beyond. As a woman and a Japanese American, she fought so that her daughter and all future generations could pursue their dreams without fear of prejudice or exclusion. They fought this hard fight, and for us, this bill betrays her legacy and all of her efforts by turning back the clock on these hard-won rights.
Growing up, I experienced firsthand the pain of being bullied for the way I looked and being judged for not fitting traditional expectations of what a girl should look or act like.
I remember vividly being told by the school administrator: ``Tuck in your shirt, boy.'' I was just a middle schooler, tall for my age, wearing my hair short, and pants, not dresses. The shock and humiliation of that moment stayed with me, and it fuels my resolve that no child should ever be made to feel ashamed of being authentically who they are.
Our students already face incredible pressures and challenges. Instead of making their lives harder by policing their identities and questioning their worth, we should be supporting them, fostering environments where they can grow, thrive, and succeed as their true, authentic selves.
Transgender girls are girls. Transgender women are women. If we truly want to protect girls and women, we must stand for inclusion, dignity, and respect, not division and exclusion.
This isn't just about a policy. It is about our values. It is about ensuring that every student feels safe, seen, and supported. That is how we protect our children. That is how we honor the spirit of Title IX.
Let's move forward with solutions that uplift and unite our schools, not tear them apart.
Mr. Speaker, over the past 10 days, our Nation has watched with horror and sadness the harrowing scenes coming out of southern California, as these fires tore through homes, neighborhoods, and communities.
On behalf of my constituents who know the terror and trauma of wildfire all too well, I rise today in solidarity with our California and Los Angeles ``ohana,'' ``family,'' and I am outraged over the callous and heartless remarks that conditions should be applied to their aid.
Within days of our Maui fires, teams from CAL FIRE were by our side on the ground to help deliver relief and organize the cleanup.
In our hour of greatest need, they stood by us without expectation of any reward. They simply stepped up for their fellow Americans. They showed us in Hawaii aloha.
That is what we need to do as a nation, as one people. We help each other out in our times of need, regardless of where we come from, our beliefs, or how we vote. We as Members of Congress pledge to do this every single day when we convene for business: one nation, unconditionally, under God.
Now, in California's time of greatest need, the President-elect, the Speaker, and other colleagues here in the House want to impose policy conditions on Federal disaster aid.
Mr. Speaker, this will endanger innocent lives and delay the ability of our fellow Americans to rebuild and recover from this disaster.
Never before in our history has the Federal Government imposed conditions on disaster aid for its own citizens.
This is just more than unprecedented. To deny our fellow Americans the help they need after losing loved ones, their homes, and their businesses in their darkest hour because of political differences, it is not just cruel; it is immoral. It is un-American. It is not who we are as a country.
It is an affront to our most basic values, one that transcends any law or policy and lives at the core of our faith. We should do to others as we would do to us. We must love our neighbor.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me and our fellow Americans in solidarity in delivering the aid that California desperately needs without political conditions.
In doing so, I urge my colleagues to do the right thing and stand up for our values as a Nation. Let us send the right message to the American people that their government of the people, by the people, and for the people will always stand by them unconditionally, no matter what.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the Endangered Species Act. Indeed, it was designed back in the early seventies and passed with bipartisanship. It was signed by Richard Nixon to protect endangered species.
What we see with its implementation in my home State of California and many other areas around this country, especially in the West, is significant misinterpretation of it.
Indeed, it has been weaponized to stop many things that would be good for people, even for the environment. We are talking about forestry, forestry practices that would make our lands safer and less fire prone. We are talking about the water supply that would help valley farmers. It would help urban areas, and it certainly would help the situation in Los Angeles right now.
What I have depicted here is a brush clearing project that was just above Pacific Palisades and other areas in L.A. that they actually had underway for a while until a national monument was declared above an area called Altadena. It stopped the ability to keep clearing brush. With national monuments, you are not allowed to go in there and do anything because it has to be left pristine and preserved. That ties in with the endangered species as well.
We see the results. Instead of clearing this brush, we get results like this. This is happening right now in southern California, tragically, needlessly. We will continue to see this.
I have seen it in my district. I have lost 3\1/2\ of my small towns in my district in the last 6 years, including the Paradise fire which took 85 lives, 90 percent of the town, Greenville, Canyondam, and a smaller town called Doyle that was burned on the east side. Again, the Endangered Species Act being manipulated and weaponized against doing the work we need to do is partly at fault.
For example, when we talk about water in California, let's look at the delta smelt for a moment. The water supply we should be building in California is impeded because the water has to be shipped out to the Pacific Ocean, supposedly to help the delta smelt. The water increases have happened since 1992. The legislation here increased another 800,000 acre-feet per year. Then it is built up from there to, hopefully, or somehow help the delta smelt.
This is Shasta Dam in northern California which we are trying to get filled right now but is going to be less useful for people as more of this water is dumped out to the delta.
What does that mean for southern California? Well, for example, let's take a look at this. This is the Santa Ynez Reservoir which currently is empty, supposedly for rehab and some maintenance. This is what it is supposed to look like full. That is what it looks like right now. It seems people in southern California who are supposed to be in charge didn't even know it was empty. This holds approximately 40 acre-feet when it is full, which is 117 million gallons.
When full, the Shasta Dam here holds 4\1/2\ acre-feet. We have been discussing a raise of Shasta Dam. It would be easy to raise it 18 feet. That would cause about 630,000 more acre-feet to be available to be stored in California.
With that, can you imagine what 600,000 acre-feet could do to help? It could fill this in minutes with the amount of water going out to the Pacific Ocean. The Endangered Species Act is being used as a weapon against raising an existing dam that was built in the thirties there that would do that. They will find a species of the week to do that. In this case I believe it is a salamander.
Let's go back in time a little bit. You have probably heard of the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Tellico Dam. That project was an idea that came about in the late sixties, and the construction was going to happen pretty soon after that. What they did is some biologists, I think from the University of Tennessee, were out on a hike and discovered, he thought, she thought, whoever it was, that there was something called a snail darter in the river there.
Starting in about 1973, or soon after the ESA was put in place, it was listed in 1975 as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, leading to a legal battle that took a long time and was finally settled. It went to the Supreme Court and was finally settled by legislation passed in Congress in 1979, which exempted the Tellico Dam from the ESA protections and allowed the giant project. It was going to make so much hydroelectric power, store water, and be available for agriculture and people. They actually got it done.
Instead, the biologists took this so-called snail darter and moved populations to other rivers in the area. The species was then reclassified downward from endangered to threatened in 1984. Finally, in 2022, it was removed from the list.
Interestingly, when we talk about the weaponization of ESA, a study that was just released revealed that the snail darter isn't an actual distinct
This is what the snail darter actually looks like because it doesn't exist as its own.
This is what they are doing in southern California. I just showed you the picture of the fires. There is a project near Pacific Palisades that was going to remove some vulnerable power pole lines that were made of wood and some lower hanging wires and other equipment with some stronger, more fire-resistant ones. They started on the project, but they discovered a species of vetch which is grown as a crop in many other areas, as a cover crop or what have you. They discovered one called, I think, Braunton's milkvetch. We grow cow vetch all the time in other areas. I have another picture in another speech.
When placed side by side, they are the same picture. These are weaponized to stop a project that could have been helpful in keeping Pacific Palisades from burning due to downed power lines. It probably wouldn't have been the key piece, but that has certainly happened in plenty of other areas around the State where downed power lines, due to the wind or branches and stuff blowing into them, have caused several fires, including the Camp fire in Paradise I mentioned that killed 85 people, and started a fire called the Dixie fire which burned a million acres.
Frequently, we have in northern California what we call public safety power shutoffs where people just have their power shut off because the wind might blow hard enough to blow branches into power lines somewhere. We sit without power like a Third World country.
This all traces back to the inability to do the forestry management where I was talking about water storage and to have a water supply for southern California.
What it boils down to is we need the leadership like President Trump is going to provide and what Gavin Newsom has been stopping as far as helping us with water storage and helping us get the water to the farmers and urban areas as needed.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the concern that faces the United States Congress, one that it has avoided and neglected for more than 54 years.
Richard Nixon was the last President to enhance Social Security. That was in 1971. All of us are concerned on both sides of the aisle, but concern is no substitute for action. It is long overdue that Congress takes a vote on behalf of the American people.
Social Security is more than a pension program. I think the American public knows it and is getting aroused because there are 70 million Americans that are on Social Security and 10,000 baby boomers a day become eligible for Social Security.
Mr. Speaker, for example, in your district alone there are over 175,000 Social Security recipients. It is broken down into those who receive pensions, those who get spousal benefits, those who get widow benefits, children, and, of course, disabilities. More veterans rely on Social Security disability than they do on the VA.
It is not emphasized enough, but the other key thing is: Social Security is the best economic development program that there is in the country. Every district, on average, gets over $200 million coming into that district on a monthly basis.
Where do they spend that money? Nobody gets wealthy on Social Security. That is for sure. That money goes right back into the economy. It becomes something that Congress hasn't adjusted since 1971. I think there are a few things everyone would acknowledge that have happened to the economy since 1971.
Certainly, Congress is neglecting its responsibility. We can point fingers every way, but the bottom line is Congress needs to act. Congress needs to vote.
President Trump has called for tax cuts for people on Social Security. I applaud him. We have had tax cuts in our proposal for the last decade. There has been no action on that.
The difference between what we are proposing and what President Trump is proposing is that we pay for ours because if it is not paid for, what ends up happening is the Social Security fund will be bankrupted. It is still the number one antipoverty program for the elderly and the number one antipoverty program for children.
This economic development piece is something, again, that all of us ought to be able to embrace. I will provide every Member of Congress with a card that will demonstrate how many recipients they have and how much money comes into their district on a monthly basis.
For us, meaning the United States Congress, we are the only body that can act. The President can't do it through executive order. The Supreme Court isn't going to take it up. Only the United States Congress can. Inaction means the fund will be cut. Unpaid action means the fund will be cut drastically.
Imagine there are more than 5 million people that get a below- poverty-level check from Social Security, having paid in all their lives. That was not the guarantee that they signed up for.
There are close to 35 million people in total. This is the only benefit they have, again, attesting to the great vision and leadership of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, knowing this is actually the safety net of capitalism. This allows people to take risks because even if people were to fail, there is something there to catch them and help them and their families through this.
Congress has not acted since 1971. Some will say: No, no, wait a minute. Didn't Tip O'Neill? Yes, they did. It was primarily led by Senator Bob Dole, but Tip O'Neill got together with Ronald Reagan who was adamantly opposed to Social Security. Mr. Dole convinced him, no, this is the right thing to do.
What they did is they extended the solvency of Social Security to its current position. It is not as long as it should have been, but, nonetheless, it is an action that went in the right direction.
I know the Speaker to be a man of good will and integrity. I hope this is something that we can bring up and work on to get this done on behalf of the American people.
Mr. Speaker, this past week, House Republicans passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which ensures that biological men cannot compete in women's and girls' sports. It makes sense to about 99 percent of America.
The idea that we even need a bill like this is disturbing in itself. Think about it. We are debating whether boys or men should compete against girls or women in athletics, all athletics.
When Title IX was enacted back in 1972, Mr. Speaker, it opened the doors for women and girls to have equal opportunities in sports. When Title IX was enacted back 1972, it opened the doors for women and girls to have equal opportunities in sports. It is worth repeating.
Before Title IX, women's sports were almost nonexistent, but since then, we have seen great progress. Women's sports have flourished, and we have seen amazing accomplishments in basketball, soccer, swimming, and so much more.
Athletes like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Simone Biles, and Lindsey Vonn are now household names, inspiring young girls everywhere.
Yet we have been faced with a narrow but loud group of activists and media who think it is acceptable for a 6-foot-4-inch biological male to compete against an average-sized, yet athletic, woman in sports.
Let's be clear, it is not acceptable. Also, it is not acceptable to force women to share a locker room with a biological man, forcing them to shower and change together.
This is not an overstatement, Mr. Speaker. It is happening, and it is traumatizing to women and girls to have a
This failed ideological social experiment is disrupting the very fabric of what Title IX was designed to protect.
One example, without mentioning names, is a male swimmer, who was ranked 554th among male athletes, but became the top-ranked female swimmer in the women's category in the Nation.
We can go back to Caitlyn Jenner, who as Bruce Jenner competed in the Olympics and won the decathlon. As Caitlyn Jenner, she stated that if she would have transitioned earlier, she would have won every gold medal. Clearly, that is not fair.
This does not respect the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices made by female athletes.
This was a commonsense bill, and there was a right way and a wrong way to vote on it.
In my view, as I stated earlier, 99 percent of Americans agree that men and boys should not be competing in women's and girls' sports, which is why my Republican colleagues and I voted to pass this bill yesterday with only two Democrats voting along with us. That is kind of disturbing in itself.
Our Republican Conference will continue to stand with women throughout this Congress and advocate for the protection of their rights.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Millin family, located in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. The Millin family owns the Millin Family Farm. It has received the designation of a Century Farm from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
A Century Farm is a farm that has been owned by the same family for at least 100 consecutive years, has a family member who still lives on that farm, and has at least 10 acres of the original holding.
The Millin family has farmed in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, since 1874, when Sandra Millin's great-grandfather purchased the property. Today, the Millins manage an over-200-acre grain operation on that exact same land. They even have the farm's original log structure dating to pre-1874.
On behalf of everyone in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I offer heartfelt congratulations to the Millin family and express gratitude for their enduring commitment to one of Pennsylvania's most vital industries: agriculture.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and celebrate the remarkable life of Dr. Suzanne Evans Sheppard, an exceptional member of our community who touched many lives.
She was a devoted mother, educator, and wife, an inspiring figure who cherished her church, Victory & Dominion World Outreach Center.
To serve as a reminder of her tremendous contributions, her church has renamed its family life center in her honor. On her birthday, family and community members gathered to celebrate. We released balloons into the sky, and Pastor Dr. Zebedee Sheppard, her beloved husband, made the heartfelt announcement. The new name is fitting, reflecting the center's role in serving the community to which she dedicated so much of her life.
I am truly grateful for Dr. Suzanne Sheppard, and the new name of this incredible facility in our community now makes it complete.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Guadalupe County Commissioner Greg Seidenberger on his well-deserved retirement after a lifetime of extraordinary service to both our country and our community.
Greg began his career with 20 years in the United States Air Force, serving as a command pilot during the Vietnam war and leading the squadron operating out of the Seguin Auxiliary Airfield. He then served as a pilot for American Airlines for 18 years.
For the past 12 years, Greg has dedicated himself to Guadalupe County as the commissioner for Precinct 1, transforming the county and ensuring the foundation for a bright future.
I wish Commissioner Greg Seidenberger a joyful retirement. Again, I congratulate him.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with grave concern about the effort in North Carolina to overturn the will of the voters of our State.
In November, Justice Allison Riggs won the election to retain her seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court. Her victory was confirmed by two separate recounts, but her opponent refuses to concede. Instead, he is seeking to overturn the results of the election with the help of our Republican majority on the court. He is arguing that 60,000 valid votes should be thrown out.
Four years after January 6, we are once again reminded about how fragile our democracy truly is. A judicial candidate does not accept the results of an election, so he is trying to silence voters in the pursuit of power. This is an attack on North Carolina voters, the integrity of our elections, and our system of justice.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the North Crowley Panthers for their decisive 50-21 win over Austin Westlake to become the UIL Class 6A Division 1 State champions.
The Panthers finished the season with an impressive record of 15 wins and no losses, earning their first State championship victory since 2003.
Throughout many early mornings, long hours on the field, and staying focused in school, these young men and women showed dedication, strength, and overwhelming commitment to victory. I am proud that their hard work has paid off.
As some of these bright and talented men and women prepare for their next endeavors, I wish them the best of luck and blessings for an even brighter and more victorious future. Go, Panthers.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the remarkable legacy of Pastor Warren Stewart, Sr., of Phoenix, Arizona.
At First Institutional Baptist Church, Pastor Stewart has been a beacon of hope, faith, and justice in our district for decades. His tireless work has gone beyond his pastoral role. He has always been a leader for social change in our community.
In fact, his efforts were key to securing Arizona's recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day long after many other States had added the holiday to their calendars.
As he steps into retirement, we are deeply grateful for his leadership. I thank Pastor Stewart for his decades of service to our community. His legacy is one of love, inclusivity, and hope.
I wish Pastor Stewart the very best in this next chapter.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the uplifting and empowering of our skilled workforce.
Across the country, skills gaps are plaguing employers and barring workers from filling millions of open job opportunities. That is why today I was proud to introduce the bipartisan Skills Investment Act.
This commonsense legislation allows workers at any point in their career to contribute to Coverdell lifelong learning accounts, which are tax-advantaged savings opportunities that will allow Americans to pursue new job skills and better career prospects.
Workers of all ages would be eligible to use Coverdell lifelong learning accounts to pay for skills training, apprenticeships, and other workforce-focused programs.
As a senior member of the Education and Workforce Committee and co- chair of the bipartisan Career and Technical Education Caucus, I am proud to sponsor the Skills Investment Act to provide additional resources for workers to climb to the next rung on the ladder of opportunity. I thank my colleagues, Congresswoman Bonamici, Congressman Fitzpatrick, and Congressman Schneider, for joining me in this effort.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in uplifting our workforce through this bipartisan legislation.
Mr. Speaker, the rule of gun axis of invasion continues murderous conduct. Sadly, war criminal Putin, the Iranian regime, and the Cuban Communist dictatorship are working to destabilize West Africa with the terrorist Polisario Front, a murderous threat to the Kingdom of Morocco, an American partner for 250 years.
Records of the deposed Assad Syrian dictatorship confirm Polisario sent militias for training. Last week, the Polisario invited PKK terrorists to a summit, threatening our valued NATO ally Turkiye. President Donald Trump stood with Morocco, recognizing Western Sahara as Moroccan. I appreciate chairing the Morocco Friendship Caucus.
In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Open borders for dictators put all Americans at risk of more 9/11 attacks imminent, as warned by the FBI. Trump will reinstitute existing laws to protect American families with peace through strength.
Best wishes to Pete Hegseth. I was grateful to attend the hearing where he qualified for Secretary of Defense, ably conducted by Chairman Roger Wicker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate one of northeast Nebraska's most important institutions, Northeast Community College.
This year, the NJCAA Men's Soccer National Champions hail from Nebraska's First Congressional District, our very own Northeast Hawks.
Throughout the national tournament, Northeast consistently defied the odds. They fought through several close matches, claiming victories against teams that had bested them in previous seasons. They even beat the odds in the championship game. While ranked fifth, our Hawks triumphed with a 2-1 victory over the second-ranked team to secure their historic title.
From Head Coach Adam Potter to every single player, the Hawks have displayed remarkable team spirit on their journey to this historic success. Their work is a testament to the character and values of our national champions, as well as the entire Northeast student community.
On behalf of Nebraska's First Congressional District, congratulations to the Northeast Community College men's soccer team on becoming the first in school history to win an NJCAA national title.
Mr. Speaker, it is the honor of my life to serve the people of Texas' 26th Congressional District. My district encompasses parts of Denton, Cooke, Wise, and Tarrant Counties, all the way north to the Oklahoma border.
Our district offers a tapestry of landscapes that reflect the best of Texas, but what truly makes our district special is its people. From the ranchers
Our district has a legacy of strong leadership, and I thank and congratulate Dr. Burgess for his service to our district.
Today, I honor the kind and hardworking men and women from Texas' great 26th Congressional District who entrusted me to serve on their behalf. I am honored to call it my home, and I am honored to be their Representative in Washington.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana, for 100 years of educating students in our State.
My background is in higher education, and I know a good school when I see one. I can confidently say that Southeastern is hitting the mark.
With more than 150 academic programs and over $1 billion in annual economic impact, Southeastern is truly changing lives. This year, the school saw its highest ever graduation rate and freshman retention rate.
Hitting the century mark is no small achievement, and Southeastern's momentum is only increasing. With their recent record-breaking enrollment increase, Southeastern will continue to shape our Nation's leaders for years to come.
A quality education sets students up for a lifetime of success. By that measure, Southeastern has had a tremendous impact. I thank the wonderful faculty and staff who have made 100 years possible. Under President William Wainwright's leadership, Southeastern is moving in the right direction. I look forward to seeing the great work they do in the school's second century and beyond.
Mr. Speaker, biological men should not be competing in women's athletics. This is a commonsense sentiment that most Americans agree with, especially back in my home State of Idaho.
However, under the Biden administration, the integrity of women's and girls' sports has come under threat. In fact, just this last year, President Biden rolled out a regulation attempting to usurp States' ability to protect women and girls and make sure they have a safe and fair playing field in sports.
That is why, this week, my House colleagues and I passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025. This bill strengthens Title IX protections to ensure the definition of an individual's gender in an athletic competition is based solely on their genetics at birth.
Mr. Speaker, women's and girls' sports are for women and girls only. I proudly voted ``yes'' on this legislation and encourage my Senate colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn the loss of Sonny Smart, who unfortunately passed away this month at the age of 76.
Mr. Smart graduated from Samford in 1970, where he played the position of center on the football team. He joined Holtville High School as an assistant coach shortly after his graduation. Soon, Mr. Smart began his 23-year head coaching career.
At the beginning of his career as a head coach, Mr. Smart was a high school football coach at Bainbridge High School in south Georgia from 1988 to 1994. He then moved on to become the head coach at Rabun County High School of north Georgia in 1995 where he remained until his retirement.
The father of Georgia football Coach Kirby Smart, Sonny Smart was a valued member of the Georgia community. During his time at Bainbridge, he even had the opportunity to coach his son Kirby.
Mr. Smart is survived by his wife, Sharon, and his three children, Karl, Kirby, and Kendall. He will always be remembered as an incredible father, husband, coach, and friend.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 5, I call up the bill (H.R. 33) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide special rules for the taxation of certain residents of Taiwan with income from sources within the United States, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 5, the bill is considered read.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill shall be debatable for 1 hour, equally divided and controlled by the majority leader and the minority leader, or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) each will control 30 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Missouri?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act, bipartisan legislation that will unleash more American manufacturing investment and jobs and help combat China's harmful influence.
For too long, America has been too dependent on China. It comes at a high price, as communities across this country lose jobs and live with little hope for the future. It also puts America's national security at risk.
This bill before us establishes fair tax treatment for both American workers and businesses operating in Taiwan and puts Americans on equal footing with our competitors around the world.
Enacting this legislation will help create jobs right here at home. U.S. exports to Taiwan support 188,000 American jobs, and Taiwanese investment in the United States supports another 21,000. Reducing burdens on Taiwanese investment in America will help aid in building new cutting-edge manufacturing plants staffed by American workers. It will help support our domestic semiconductor and chip manufacturing capabilities, securing strategic supply chains and helping us further move away from China.
Citizens and companies from countries like Great Britain, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand and the European Union all enjoy better tax treatment than Americans in Taiwan currently do. That is not right. In fact, the United States is Taiwan's largest trading partner without a tax treaty.
Enhancing our relationship with Taiwan will strengthen the U.S. economy and our national security. Instead of leaving critical supply chains in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party, we need to be making more goods in America, or in partnership with allies like Taiwan that share our interests, to reduce our dependence on China.
This legislation has strong bipartisan support. Last Congress, we took action in authorizing and establishing the first steps in a free trade agreement between the U.S. and Taiwan. As we continue to grow our economic relationship together, a tax treaty represents the logical next move. Advancing this legislation to President Trump's desk is the right thing to do for American workers and our economy as a whole.
I thank Ranking Member Neal for helping lead this effort and introducing this legislation with me. Today, we are showing the world that American leaders are united in standing up for our workers and businesses.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill to help critical American manufacturing sectors and to protect our national and economic security, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 33, the United States- Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act. I thank Ranking Member Neal and Chairman Smith for working on this significant legislation, which was reported out of the Ways and Means Committee unanimously last Congress.
I also thank Representative Suzan DelBene as well as Representatives Adrian Smith and Nicole Malliotakis for their partnership. Together, we introduced a resolution last Congress calling to advance legislation to address that barrier, the issue of double taxation on income earned in the United States and Taiwan.
Today, Americans who do business in Taiwan, and those from Taiwan who do business from America, must pay income tax in both places on the same earnings. That hurts businesses of all sizes, as well as individuals who spend time in each market.
For example, without a double-tax treaty, workers from the United States who are sent to Taiwan to train for
The U.S. has eliminated this problem through bilateral income tax treaties with more than 60 countries, but not with Taiwan. That is because of its unique political status which prevents us from negotiating a traditional tax treaty. As a result, among our top 10 trading partners, only Taiwan lacks a double-tax agreement.
We should forge an agreement both because Taiwan is a leading democracy in Asia and because their investment in the United States supports at least 188,000 American jobs, including many in my southern California district, which is home to one of the largest communities of people from Taiwan in the U.S.
In 2023, I met with some of them here in Washington, D.C., to discuss the barrier posed by this double taxation. They told me stories of facing huge tax bills after doing business in both markets and having to curtail their cross-border investment as a result.
The American Institute in Taiwan conducted a survey of Taiwanese companies with a presence here in the United States, and 79 percent of them reported that double taxation of income is a considerable factor that prevents them from investing more in the U.S.
There is a solution, which is the legislation before us today. Specifically, this bill reduces the withholding of taxes and lays the groundwork for the Treasury Department to finalize the details of a permanent arrangement, based on the model income tax treaty that we have with scores of other countries, to mitigate double taxation, prevent abuse, allow for dispute resolution, and exchange key tax information that will help revenue authorities in both jurisdictions.
This bill would ensure that our Nation can take full advantage of the historic investments that we have made under the Biden-Harris administration, like the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act. Because of that law, new chip fabs are under construction in places like Ohio and operational and producing chips in Arizona, but these factories are enormously complicated and expensive. Even with the billions of dollars in investments from the Department of Commerce, the math simply might not pencil out for a project if the company will be subject to double taxation as soon as they turn a profit.
From major chip companies to small businesses in southern California and across the country, it is clear that mitigating double taxation between the U.S. and Taiwan is crucial. It will only become more important as Congress continues to work in a bipartisan manner to strengthen our economic relations with Taiwan.
Last Congress, we approved the first phase of the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade negotiated by USTR and TECRO, and I have expressed my support for going even further and negotiating a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement with Taiwan.
To unlock the benefits made possible by our strengthening partnership, we must ensure that businesses are not at a competitive disadvantage.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 33, the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act.
This bill would be the first step in establishing an informal tax treaty with our ally Taiwan. Currently, Taiwan is our largest trading partner without a tax treaty. Through fair and reciprocal tax treatment, H.R. 33 would deepen our economic relationship with Taiwan, specifically our semiconductor and chip manufacturing industries, and secure strategic supply chains.
America should not have to rely on foreign adversaries like China for our supply chains when we can partner with better allies like Taiwan. If we have learned anything from the pandemic, it is that we cannot rely on people who do not feel the same as we do to supply us with needed products.
As conflicts continue to rise across the globe, we must build our relationships with strong democracies like Taiwan. In recent years, we have watched China strengthen trade ties with nations across the globe, including American adversaries Iran and North Korea. China is also expanding its influence throughout the Western Hemisphere.
The Monroe Doctrine and the Roosevelt Corollary stated very clearly back at the turn of the century what could happen from the 1800s going to the 2000s. When you look at what is happening now, Mr. Speaker, China is now at both ends of our Panama Canal. As you follow that 51 miles of the Panama Canal, China is on both sides of the canal. They are saying that, no, we don't understand and that this is just for trade. Mr. Speaker, this can quickly be converted into something else.
As President Trump and I recently noted, the Panama Canal is a vital trade global route that includes 40 percent of all U.S. container shipping. At some point, America must wake up to what is happening. We cannot rely on an adversary to supply us with needed goods, and then they make the decision of what they will send us and what they will not send us.
Our ally is Taiwan, and we need to have a stronger tie with them.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Smith for sponsoring this critical piece of legislation. All of my colleagues from Ways and Means are here to talk on the same subject, and we will continue this work. I think, as we go into the 21st day of January, we will see this incredible movement toward making America great again.
I thank, again, Chairman Smith for sponsoring this, my Ways and Means colleagues for their continuous work, and Speaker Johnson for bringing this bill to the floor. I look forward to working with the Senate and President-elect Trump to get the bill signed into law.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 33, the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act. This bill represents a bilateral tax agreement that prevents doubling taxation on U.S. and Taiwanese businesses and workers.
This bill helps promote Taiwanese investment in the United States and job creation. The bill provides benefits to Taiwanese residents similar to those provided in the 2016 U.S. model tax treaty.
Importantly, these new provisions do not take effect until Taiwan offers American residents the same benefits. The bill, H.R. 33, would strengthen trade relations, increase manufacturing production, boost innovation, create economic growth for the U.S. and Taiwan, and allow our country to compete more effectively with China by increasing trade and business commerce in both goods and services.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' for H.R. 33. It is good for Americans, as well as Taiwanese, and good for both countries.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the United States- Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act.
In today's global economy, it is customary for the United States to enter into tax treaties with like-minded allies to lessen potential double-tax burdens and encourage cross-border investment.
The United States currently has tax agreements with over 60 foreign tax jurisdictions. Yet, due to its unique political status, even as our seventh largest trading partner, we do not have a formal tax arrangement in place with Taiwan.
This bipartisan legislation before us today would finally change that. This bill makes necessary changes to our tax code to provide much-needed certainty to businesses and workers between our two countries.
As a member of both the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee and our Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, I know how important our relationship with Taiwan is, both in terms of trade and national security.
This bill will open the door for us to continue to develop a strong economic partnership, especially in the technology and semiconductor sectors, and help the United States reduce our reliance on China.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, Speaker Johnson, and all the members of the Ways and Means Committee for bringing this legislation to the floor today.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I thank the chairman for bringing this bill to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act.
This is a bipartisan bill that would address the issue of double taxation between Taiwan and the United States. That is an issue that has long impaired our mutual investment opportunities, including the ability of the United States to shore up the semiconductor supply chain and fully capitalize on the potential of our partnership with Taiwan.
Mr. Speaker, I don't need to remind my colleagues of the security challenges that we faced during the pandemic, when we dealt with the overwhelming supply chain issues, especially for semiconductor chips.
That shortage led to sky-high prices for everyday items, and it impacted critical industries in healthcare, defense, and the technology sector.
What we quickly realized is that one of the ways that we can prevent such shortages is to partner with trusted producers like Taiwan and increase mutual investment that can lead to supply chain security.
However, that type of investment that is needed for this type of partnership is hard to do when there is double taxation. It simply won't happen when income is taxed in the country where it is earned and then taxed again when it is repatriated back to its home country.
That is just not a recipe for investment, for partnership, for success, and for our security. That is why we need to pass this legislation that allows us to enter into a treaty with Taiwan that limits that type of double taxation.
Mr. Speaker, as was just heard from my colleague from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), Taiwan is the seventh largest trading partner of the United States, yet it is also the largest trading partner without this type of tax agreement.
During both of my two visits to Taiwan last year, this issue came up with President Lai in that he said to our delegation: This is a way to improve our economies and our security.
He knows and we know that the Taiwanese companies that are investing in semiconductor facilities right here in America and are helping fulfill the objectives of the CHIPS and Science Act need the tax relief and regulation clarity now more than ever.
The bipartisan legislation that we are considering today would address this issue by setting a framework for such a treaty, reducing tax withholding rates, and providing clear guidelines for what is taxed, who is taxed, and when it is taxed.
Putting it simply, Mr. Speaker, it would establish clarity and certainty by ending double taxation, encouraging investment, and strengthening our economic partnership.
Mr. Speaker, despite the policy of strategic ambiguity when it comes to the defense of Taiwan, what is clear is that the United States supports the people of Taiwan and a strong economic partnership with Taiwan with this bipartisan legislation that ultimately bolsters our stability, our prosperity, and the security of both of our great nations.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Smith for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 33. Taiwan and the United States have a long and productive relationship. Last fall, I had the opportunity to visit Taipei and learn about the robust investments Taiwan is making right there in semiconductor manufacturing. Taiwanese companies are also making large investments right here in the United States.
Ending double taxation between our two countries will be beneficial to both the American businesses in Taiwan and the Taiwanese businesses investing in the United States. I deeply value our continued partnership with our ally Taiwan, and I know that this bill will go a long way to secure our economic relationship for years to come.
As a member of the Trade Subcommittee, ensuring mutually beneficial relationships with our allies is very important to me. Of course, being a West Virginian, I always welcome our friends from Taiwan to come visit our beautiful State.
This legislation, supported by the Biden-Harris administration, is an opportunity for the United States to strengthen its economic ties with Taiwan. H.R. 33 creates a new section within the tax code to facilitate mutual investment from the United States into Taiwan and vice versa by reducing double taxation traps for Taiwanese residents with income from sources within the United States.
By removing these traps, H.R. 33 facilitates the creation of a strong domestic semiconductor ecosystem, creates jobs, and incentivizes investments in semiconductor technology and our American economy.
Securing our Nation's position at the forefront of the chip manufacturing race is possible only if we constantly work to remove the barriers to developing American manufacturing, both in our tax code and regulatory environment.
The United States and Taiwan have long shared a strong economic partnership powered by extensive two-way trade, and we must ensure that this partnership remains robust. It is critical that we work to improve our existing trade agreement with Taiwan and ensure that future trade agreements continue to facilitate the development of domestic American manufacturing.
As elected officials, it is our responsibility to ensure the tax code works for the benefit of all. Supporting H.R. 33 makes certain that our tax code reflects the values of fairness and trust.
As a member of the Intelligence Committee in the 118th Congress, I can tell my colleagues that this increased trade, both in the Pacific and viewed throughout the world, is helpful to America's strength.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, combating the CCP's malign influence across the globe demands strong partnerships and a steady backbone. Our partnership with Taiwan is critical to that goal.
In 2023, I led a delegation to Taiwan, where we met with former President Tsai and current President Lai. We saw firsthand the importance of the economic partnership between our great nations, a partnership meaningful not only in economic terms, but in the true friendship and goodwill we share, as well as our common values. Taiwan is fighting for the very thing that our Founding Fathers did: freedom and opportunity.
Taiwan does not ask for our support without bringing their own strengths to the table. They have increased investment in domestic research and development to improve their own deterrence capabilities and are invested heavily in the semiconductor industry here in the United States of America.
Unfortunately, without a formal tax treaty with Taiwan, double taxation is deterring further Taiwanese investments in the United States. This unique issue requires a unique solution. H.R. 33 will alleviate the double taxation burden and, in turn, bolster the U.S. supply chain.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support H.R. 33 today, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 33, the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act.
This bill codifies the strong partnership between the United States and
Taiwan's vibrant democracy and strong economy represent opportunity in the Indo-Pacific. In 2024, the United States was Taiwan's largest destination for its direct foreign investment, totaling more than $14 billion.
To date, the United States has signed double taxation agreements with over 60 countries, including the People's Republic of China. It does not have one with Taiwan. The scope and severity of the threat from the Chinese Communist Party is crystallized in the Taiwan Strait, which is under constant harassment.
The United States and Taiwan should help support each other's democracies through collaboration on countering disinformation and propaganda. We should go further to strengthen one another's economies through increased flows of trade and investment by negotiating expanded market access, common rules, and the end of this double taxation on Taiwanese investment in the United States. This is especially critical as we look to revive U.S. semiconductor manufacturing.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act.
Taiwanese companies in America, including those in critical semiconductor sectors, face double tax burdens due to the lack of a U.S.-Taiwan tax agreement.
Taiwan is one of our largest trading partners without such a treaty, yet it supports more than 22,000 U.S. jobs and contributed $185 million to U.S. research in 2021.
This bill addresses these issues by eliminating double taxation, reducing withholding tax rates, and clarifying residency rules. It strengthens our economic alliance with Taiwan, ensuring a reliable supply chain for semiconductors and reducing dependence on China and our adversaries.
In my home State of Texas, Taiwanese tech companies are investing billions in advanced manufacturing, but double taxation threatens their ability to operate effectively. Today's bipartisan bill equips us to expand cross-border investment, safeguard critical supply chains, and push back against China's growing influence.
Without this legislation, we will risk alienating Taiwan, one of our strongest partners in the Indo-Pacific region. We also risk ceding more power to China in the Taiwan Strait and isolating ourselves further on the global economic stage. That is simply unacceptable.
This bill is critical to reaffirming our commitment to economic growth, national security, and the U.S.-Taiwan partnership.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in Congress to support this vital legislation to do just that.
Mr. Speaker, I was just elected to represent California's 47th Congressional District in the heart of Orange County, and we have quite a sizeable Chinese-American population.
I have spoken with many constituents who are deeply concerned about the future of Taiwan, particularly in the face of increased aggression and a lot of rhetoric.
Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that we signal here that we are strengthening the relationship between our two countries.
For the past 75 years, the United States and Taiwan have enjoyed a special relationship, one rooted in our shared values of freedom and democracy.
That has also been bolstered by a strong national security relationship founded on Ronald Reagan's Six Assurances to Taiwan. Of course, we have had a strong economic relationship based on a lot of mutual trade and investment, including around semiconductor chips and other critical goods.
Now, this is the seventh largest trading partner of the United States. It is a large trading partner of my State of California. I think it is important we end this regime of double taxation, continue strengthening our ties, encouraging more economic investments, and ensuring that we are bolstering our national security.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye.''
Mr. Speaker, standing up to the Chinese Communist Party is a no- brainer, and standing up to Communist China means standing with Taiwan.
Mr. Speaker, Taiwan's security and economic prosperity are important to the United States and the rest of the world. Why? That is because if anything were to happen to Taiwan, the effect on the global economy would be devastating.
Here are the numbers: Taiwan is the United States' 7th largest trading partner, 10th largest export market, and 8th largest source of imports. Taiwan is the biggest trading partner without a deal with the United States.
Today, Taiwan is and will remain one of our most strategic partners and allies in the region. This is not only because of our shared values of democracy, peace, and freedom, but also our economic ties.
As Communist China continues to threaten America's interests, we must do all we can to strengthen our partnership with Taiwan. That is why, Mr. Speaker, we need H.R. 33, the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand with me and support my friend from Missouri, Chairman Jason Smith, and his timely bill to strengthen our economic ties with Taiwan and empower Americans doing business in the country.
The correct answer on H.R. 33 is a ``yes'' vote.
Mr. Speaker, this bill makes it clear that the United States stands with our economic ally and supports a strong and prosperous Taiwan.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act.
The EU, U.K., Japan, Australia, and New Zealand are among the countries that have a tax treaty with Taiwan. The U.S. is not one of them. In fact, Taiwan is our largest trading partner and ally that isn't covered by a tax treaty.
This puts American companies and citizens at a competitive disadvantage. The bill before us would level the playing field. It would incentivize Taiwan to provide tax benefits to Americans that are similar to those of a tax treaty. Once Taiwan has done so, the United States would provide those same benefits to Taiwan.
Taiwan is a key partner in derisking our supply chains away from China. Taiwanese investment already supports 21,000 American jobs, and over $1.5 billion in American exports. Reducing double taxation will strengthen our partnership, increase bilateral investment, and create jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Neal for their leadership on this issue. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act.
The bill, as we have been hearing, would align the tax treatment of income earned in the U.S. by Taiwanese
As we know, Taiwan is an important and strategic ally in the Indo- Pacific region, and a democratic success story, I might add a lowercase democratic success story, but we know that it is the eighth largest trading partner to our country.
U.S. exports to Taiwan support hundreds of thousands of American jobs, and cumulative Taiwanese investment in the U.S. totals more than $137 billion.
Taiwan also plays a critical role in our technology supply chains as we have been hearing and is certainly a key national security partner.
Despite this, on the list of the 66 countries the U.S. currently has income tax treaties with, including China, Taiwan is conspicuously absent.
Eliminating the undue double taxation of Taiwanese residents and businesses promotes economic efficiency and integration, strengthens our strategic partnership with Taiwan, and reinforces the long-term economic stability American businesses and our trusted allies need to invest for the future and combat the influence of bad actors.
In the face of regular threats to its security and economic stability by a predatory adversary, Taiwan and its people have called on us to live up to our commitment as a strategic partner and friend to freedom- loving nations.
This is a good bill which delivers an overdue solution to an issue which has strong bipartisan support. I appreciate the discussions that we have been having here today. This strengthens ties that we have with a trusted ally, as well.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage all my colleagues to support the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
In closing, Taiwan is the only one of our top 10 trading partners with whom we do not have an income tax agreement, and we need to solve this problem by taking advantage of our robust and growing economic partnership. That is why the Ways and Means Committee favorably reported this bill in a unanimous bipartisan vote last Congress. I enthusiastically support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, to continue to rely on China for critical items like semiconductors and chips is very dangerous. There is no reason America can't make those same items. This bipartisan bill will remove unfair tax barriers for American workers and businesses, strengthen our Nation's manufacturing base, and grow jobs right here at home.
The United States is Taiwan's largest trading partner without a tax treaty, and that means American workers are at a disadvantage. If the relationship between the United States and Taiwan is to serve as a defense against China, our workers must be on equal footing with one another. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this critical bill that will shift control over our economy away from China and back toward American workers and businesses.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 5, the previous question is ordered on the bill.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Promoting Opportunities to Widen Electrical Resilience Act of 2025
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 164) to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize Federal agencies to provide certain essential assistance for hazard mitigation for electric utilities, and for other purposes, on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 419, nays 2, not voting 12, as follows:
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 144) to provide that the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 does not apply to certain reports required to be submitted by the Tennessee Valley Authority, and for other purposes on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 423, nays 0, not voting 10, as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. There are 2 minutes remaining.
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on passage of the bill (H.R. 33) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide special rules for the taxation of certain residents of Taiwan with income from sources within the United States, on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 423, nays 1, not voting 9, as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. There are 2 minutes remaining.
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Mr. Speaker, due to the devastating wildfire affecting my district and Southern California, I was not present for today's vote. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 13, H.R. 164; YEA on Roll Call No. 14, H.R. 144; and YEA on Roll Call No. 15, H.R. 33.
Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 13, YEA on Roll Call No. 14, and YEA on Roll Call No. 15.
Mr. Speaker, due to a death in the family, I needed to attend to the funeral proceedings and was unable to vote on the House floor. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 13, Passage of H.R. 164, YEA on Roll Call No. 14, Passage of H.R. 144, and YEA on Roll Call No. 15, Passage of H.R. 33.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the Representative of Virginia's Fifth Congressional District.
I am honored to serve nearly 800,000 Virginians.
Virginia, thousands of miles from the border, is a border State. Every county, city, and town is a border county, city, and town under the current administration.
Last week, I voted on my first bill, the Laken Riley Act. Illegal aliens are robbing, sexually assaulting, and murdering American citizens. This bill detains illegal immigrants who commit additional crimes, like theft, until they get deported.
Laken had a bright future, but her life was cut short when an illegal alien murdered her while she was jogging one morning. She fought and did everything right.
The perpetrator kept getting released from jail because of weak America-last policies.
I was proud to vote in favor of this legislation introduced by my good friend, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins), who is empowering law enforcement to do their job.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the late former Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic.
Senator Dziedzic was an incredible public servant who transformed the lives of so many. During her historic tenure, Senator Dziedzic led the Minnesota Legislature in passing significant investments in our State's public education system, transportation infrastructure, affordable housing, and green economy.
Her efforts resulted in Minnesota passing universal school meals, protecting bodily autonomy, and ensuring paid family and medical leave for Minnesota's workers.
It was an honor to serve alongside her when I was first elected to the Minnesota Legislature and to continue to hold her leadership as an inspiration as I serve the communities of Minnesota's Fifth District.
Her legacy of dedication to inclusive, productive lawmaking and her steadfast commitment to her constituents will be remembered for years to come.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to stress the importance of providing prompt relief to the victims of the ongoing disaster and nightmare in Los Angeles.
The relief measure should include direct support for rebuilding and recovery along with safeguards to assure that that support gets to victims as quickly and as efficaciously as possible.
Mr. Speaker, there will also need to be a thoroughgoing Federal inquiry into the causes of this catastrophe and into political failures that enabled this catastrophe.
We will need to use every tool that we have to inject some common sense into how California manages its forests and water supply, but that should not stand in the way of getting immediate relief to the victims. These folks have already paid an extraordinarily high price for the failures of their government, and they should not be punished again.
Mr. Speaker, this image could be from the California wildfires, but it is not. It is from New Mexico's Hermit's Peak and Calf Canyon Fires, which ravaged northern New Mexico. We are still recovering from the inferno with help from the Federal Government.
We might see a picture like this in Montana or Utah or anywhere there are droughts and extreme weather events.
When disaster hit New Mexico, my colleagues supported our State, including recently Speaker Johnson and my Republican friends. I am grateful that we acted as one.
When hurricanes hit North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia, we supported the recovery in those States without conditions because that is what we do.
Americans don't turn their backs on each other.
That should not change with California. They need our help. New Mexican firefighters are there helping, and Congress must also help without placing conditions on emergency disaster aid.
Let's act as one United States in the face of this disaster.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate and recognize the incredible return of my good friend, Mr. Mike Keith, as the next ``Voice of the Vols,'' to the University of Tennessee's Vol Network.
Born in Knoxville and raised in Franklin, Mike started his career as WUTK's sports director in 1986 where he provided dynamic play-by-plays and captivating sports analysis.
Months after his initial appointment, he was hired by the legendary John Ward. Mike soon became the ``Voice of the Baseball Vols'' from 1992 to 1998.
It is not in my notes, but I will note that I did throw out the first pitch one time, and they said it was incredibly accurate and incredibly fast.
Mike's career did not stop there nor did his hard work. In 1999, Mike took over the play-by-play duties for the Tennessee Titans, with his career as an NFL broadcaster spanning a quarter century.
Mike's accolades speak for themselves. He is a member of five halls of fame, including the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, TSSAA Hall of Fame, BGA Hall of Fame, Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame, the University of Tennessee Baseball Athletics Hall of Fame, and being named Tennessee's Sportscaster of the Year 12 times.
Mike has now returned to Rocky Top as the lead play-by-play announcer for UT football and men's basketball games. He is a pioneer of radio broadcasting and represents his alma mater well.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Martin ``Tiger'' Bech, William ``Billy'' DiMaio, Elliot Wilkinson, Nicole Perez, Kareem Badawi, Brandon Taylor, Nikyra Dedeaux, Matthew Tenedorio, Hubert Gauthreaux, Edward Pettifer, Reggie Hunter, Drew Dauphin, Terrence Kennedy, and LaTasha Polk.
These precious lives were taken from us far too soon. We honor them not just as names but as fathers, mothers, children, and friends who brought light to New Orleans and to this world.
Last week, I stood with President Biden at the Bourbon Street memorial. We reflected on the profound loss felt by our community and our Nation. In the quiet of St. Louis Cathedral, we lit candles and prayed for healing for the injured survivors, for the grieving families, and for a city shaken but not broken.
This was not just an attack on New Orleans; it was an assault on our shared humanity, our spirit of joy, and our enduring strength.
Let me be clear: New Orleans will never let these lives be forgotten. We will rise from this pain with unity, love, and resilience as we always do.
Mr. Speaker, may God continue to bless the victims, their families, the great city of New Orleans, the great State of Louisiana, and the great United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the first responders of Montana's Second Congressional District who are sacrificing time and treasure to combat the ongoing wildfires in southern California.
Firefighters from Columbus and Red Lodge are joining groups like the Billings Flying Service and other crews and individuals from across the State to help those in need.
I applaud the leadership of these groups, including Columbus Fire Rescue Chief Rich Cowger and Red Lodge Fire Rescue Chief Tom Kuntz for setting an example of service before self.
During my time as a combat search and rescue enlisted aviator in the U.S. Air Force, we had a motto: These things we do, that others may live.
Mr. Speaker, these men and women exemplify that motto, so I ask that you join me in praying for and honoring these brave Montanans who have traveled far and wide and put themselves in harm's way to protect the lives and property of their fellow Americans.
Mr. Speaker, some House Republicans are threatening to withhold disaster aid to California unless certain unknown conditions are met. There is even talk about attaching disaster aid to an increase in the debt ceiling.
Mr. Speaker, this could be your State. Never in our Nation's history has the Federal Government placed such politically driven conditions on disaster aid to its own citizens. We can have good-faith debates about water policy and infrastructure deficiencies, and we should, but that is not what this is about.
This is a bad-faith effort to use California as a punching bag. This is about the promotion of half-truths, conspiracy theories, and outright lies, not to mention it is a way out for House Republicans.
They can't raise the debt ceiling on their own, so they want to tie that to disaster aid. It is unconscionable.
Mr. Speaker, I say to my Republican friends that it is unacceptable and downright shameful to use the suffering of Californians in need, or anyone in need, to solve your internal political disputes. Please stop playing games. Let's get the disaster aid to the people who need it, and let's do it now.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a dear friend and dedicated public servant, Gerri McDaniel.
Gerri had a fierce determination to better her community not just with her words but with her actions, as well.
She was a resident of North Myrtle Beach for nearly 22 years, where she was active in her community, including the Horry County Republican Women's Club. She was a true pillar of the South Carolina conservative movement.
In 2016, Gerri worked for President Donald Trump, helping to secure a historic victory.
In 2020, she served as an elector to our electoral college, helping to assign our States' nine votes to President Donald Trump.
Gerri's personality was infectious. She was an incredibly hard worker, and she had the unique ability to inspire others to work diligently for the conservative cause.
Mr. Speaker, through all that she accomplished, one thing remained constant: her passion for improving the lives of South Carolina and our great country. Her conviction, her fearless leadership, and willingness to serve will no doubt leave a lasting legacy for all who knew her.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize Christopher Brooks as Ohio's 13th Congressional District champion of the week.
Christopher is a senior AP art student at Canton McKinley High School. This year, he was awarded a Gold Key, two Silver Keys, and an honorable mention in the regional scholastic art competition.
Christopher's beginnings in art started in kindergarten, where he used his creative skills to make unique constructions out of LEGO blocks. Fast-forward to high school, and he has taken his passion for art to the next level by creating beautiful color pencil works and oil paintings.
Christopher's work that earned him a Gold Key will now be considered for a national award.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Christopher on this fantastic accomplishment, and wish him good luck as he moves on to represent our region on the national stage. He is a shining example of why Ohio's 13th Congressional District is known as the birthplace of champions.
Mr. Speaker, Governor Gavin Newsom's High-Speed Rail project has been a symbol of fiscal mismanagement, and now the Department of Government Efficiency here in D.C., known as DOGE, is stepping in to examine the situation, as well.
Originally projected to cost $33 billion back in 2008, the price tag has now ballooned closer to $130 billion.
Despite an initial completion date for 2020, now it is, at best, by about 2030, maybe even 2035. Zero passengers have ridden on it because it is not possible yet.
This boondoggle has already consumed $6.8 billion in Federal funds of all U.S. taxpayers. Now they are asking for $8 billion more, which is way short of $130 billion.
DOGE's analysis paints a grim picture of a project spiraling out of control with no end in sight.
Governor Newsom keeps funneling California tax dollars into this never-ending pit, ignoring needs like critical water infrastructure which could be helping all of our State, including southern California, if we could raise Shasta Dam and gain 600,000 new acre-feet.
We would have the ability to not be short-funded on the brush removal that needs to be happening in southern California, as well as the forestry management all over California. Instead of empty-handed promises by Governor Newsom, we need to have President Trump leading the way.
Mr. Speaker, I rise as the chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation to urge that we focus our energy on standing with firefighters, businesses, and families impacted by the Los Angeles County fire, not politics.
I have been hearing unprecedented political attacks, lies, and threats of conditioning disaster aid, even while these fires rage. This is the largest urban fire in the history of the United States.
Our rule has always been disaster help without conditions.
Mr. Speaker, if you want to change our longstanding policy, remember, your constituents could be the next ones to be abandoned. As my California colleague Congresswoman Young Kim said this week, ``fires don't discriminate,'' and she is right.
In December, when disaster aid went to victims in Republican-led States, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Florida, Democrats overwhelmingly voted for that aid.
Mr. Speaker, we didn't discriminate then, and we must not discriminate now during Californians time of need.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce myself as I undertake this awesome responsibility to serve the citizens of Utah's Third Congressional District.
My name is Mike Kennedy, and I am both a physician and an attorney.
As a doctor, I am a trained listener. As a lawyer, I am a trained advocate. As a legislator, I intend to honor the promises I made to my constituents when I asked for their votes: to take seriously the problems we confront, which include a porous border and a massive national debt. I will be a foe to those who would work to turn the people over to the government and a friend to those who will turn the government over to the people.
Our common oath, when we begin this service, is to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It is a call to actively search for all that unites us in our common citizenship without fear or favor.
The vision of our Founders, that we be ``one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,'' burns brightly in me and will be my daily touchstone as I do the work of the people.
Mr. Speaker, let us go forward with renewed energy to keep all that makes America the great country that we know it to be.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today filled with immense pride and gratitude for the incredible bravery and dedication of our 911 dispatchers, first responders, and firefighters across California.
These men and women, many of whom work around the clock, have been on the front lines fighting tirelessly to protect our homes and communities from devastating impact of the ongoing fires.
I am also deeply proud of the way our communities have come together. From local volunteers to neighbors checking on one another and organizations offering aid, California's spirit of unity and resilience shines brighter than ever.
Mr. Speaker, as we continue to navigate these difficult times, I urge my colleagues to not play politics and ensure we provide the disaster relief aid that California deserves and needs now more than ever.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a treasured Florida statesman, the Honorable Governor Kenneth ``Buddy'' MacKay.
Today, his hometown and family will celebrate this compassionate fighter who served 26 years in the State house and senate, Congress, as Florida's Lieutenant Governor, and briefly as Governor.
A righteous fighter for what he believed in, he fought the Cross Florida Barge Canal and defended a fellow University of Florida classmate from racist taunts.
When others of his generation saw an issue to exploit, Buddy remained steadfast to protect civil rights, reproductive freedoms, and our precious ecosystem. Political foes used his decency against him, but Buddy MacKay remained a man of principle. He was a proud liberal who never abandoned causes that helped the less fortunate, even if it cost him votes.
I came of age watching Buddy MacKay masterfully maneuver against powerful adversaries and work tirelessly behind the scenes to help people. Buddy MacKay embodied all the values of decency and honesty, and his public service legacy is a model we desperately need.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to say thank you to President Biden and his team for their relentless perseverance and leadership in securing a needed agreement between Israel and Hamas that includes the release of 33 hostages, who have endured unimaginable suffering.
This breakthrough is a testament to unwavering U.S. diplomacy and steadfast support for Israel and is a profound moment of relief and joy for loved ones who never gave up hope.
With that said, Mr. Speaker, this mission is not over. We must remain resolute, bringing every hostage home, delivering humanitarian relief where needed, ensuring Israel's security, and laying the foundation for lasting peace in the Middle East.
Mr. Speaker, during this week in Washington, I have heard certain cunning, power-hungry individuals invoke the name of Jesus to blasphemously whitewash their own awful transgressions against the Ten Commandments and the dehumanization of God's precious creatures.
I don't expect the coarse subjects of my concern will hear nor even comprehend the Biblical verse I wish to enter into the Record--Matthew 25:31-46. Some day may these prevaricators face a reckoning in which the Lord of all lords will judge: Truly I tell you, whatsoever you do for the least of my brethren, that you do unto me. So be it.
Mr. Speaker, less than 4 weeks ago, Congress passed the American Relief Act, which provided disaster aid to States such as Florida, South Carolina, and Oklahoma. Did Democrats demand conditions on this aid because it went to red States? No, because we are all Americans. We are all God's children.
Congress has never put conditions on disaster aid because when Mother Nature strikes, she doesn't ask for your party affiliation before she hurts you. The people who were hurt in the fires in southern California were parents, children, and grandchildren who lost their homes or lost their loved ones.
I am asking Republican Members of Congress to please stop using the pain and suffering of disaster victims for
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my very good friend, Orange County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Al Mijares, who passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Dr. Mijares was a champion for our students to prepare them for college and careers. During the 2022 school year, over 90 percent of Orange County High School graduates graduated on time, beating the California average.
During Dr. Mijares' tenure, he also fought to make Orange County a better place to live for everyone. He established the One Billion Acts of Kindness initiative, allowing Orange County residents to honor acts of kindness. He never stopped fighting to make our communities better.
The legacy of Dr. Mijares, my good friend, lives. We will never forget the passion for education that he showed us and his efforts to create future leaders for our great Nation. We will miss Al.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about Americans who are hurting, who have been suffering over the last 10 days as a result of the fires that have occurred in Los Angeles and south coast basin.
What we are talking about is the moral imperative of what America has always done to help the American people when they are in need, whether it is hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, earthquakes, fires, or natural disasters of every kind you can imagine.
In the wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles and south coast basin, over 40,000 acres have burned, 12,000 buildings have been destroyed, and 24 lives and counting have been lost. There certainly will be more. That is more than 30,000 football fields. Think about it.
The pain, the suffering, the social, and the economic losses--from homes to businesses to churches and synagogues--have changed people's way of life.
I am appalled to hear that some of my Republican friends are openly discussing conditioning wildfire relief upon their partisan agendas. That is wrong. We should not forget that over $120 million of hurricane relief was provided to the State of Louisiana when they needed it over the last 20 years. Humanity must always take precedence over partisanship.
Mr. Speaker, my name is Dave Min. I was just elected to represent the 47th Congressional District in Orange County, California, just south of the fires. While we are not affected by these, we are subject to the same fire risks on a year-by-year basis.
What we are seeing right now is a biblical-level disaster in California. The scope of this devastation is unprecedented. Now, as has been mentioned before, is a time when we need to come together, understanding that with climate change we are going to continue seeing biblical-level events going forward.
When we have had past disasters, whether hurricanes in southeastern United States, Florida, the Gulf Coast, tornadoes, flooding, and, yes, wildfires, we have stepped up. The people of southern California have stepped up to help those in need. That is the American way. That is the California way.
What is being proposed right now in tying conditions to aid is un- American. It is despicable. It is pathetic. We have never done this before. I urge my Republican colleagues to think about the precedent they will be setting if they set conditions, political conditions to this aid because the next time a disaster strikes, it could be their district, their area, and they do not want to set this precedent right now. People are struggling. Thousands of firefighters are exhausted. We need your help.
Mr. Speaker, as families in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas grapple with horrible devastation, loss of homes, community, loss of life and livelihoods, I am disgusted to hear that Republican leadership--Speaker Johnson--is planning to use this tragedy for political gain and withhold aid from California.
Americans are evacuating their homes, watching their communities burn, and the Speaker and Trump and some of my Republican colleagues in Congress want to punish Americans for not voting their way in November? This is morally bankrupt.
Californians obviously need this help now. I am standing up here because I am a Vermonter who just endured two horrible summers of devastating floods. I know what it feels like to go house to house and talk to people who have lost everything.
I remember talking to one man who had lost his home and his livelihood and was out of his home. He said to me: I didn't vote for you. I said: It doesn't matter that you didn't vote for me. I am still showing up for you.
We need to show up for all Americans, regardless of political party.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 215th anniversary of Lebanon, Ohio. Lebanon is the birthplace of The Western Star, Ohio's oldest weekly newspaper, the home of the historic Golden Lamb Inn, Ohio's oldest hotel, which has hosted 12 United States Presidents and literary giants like Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, and Harriet Beecher Stowe.
After walking on the Moon and seeing the Earth from space, Neil Armstrong could go anywhere, and he chose Lebanon as his home for 23 years. It is that special.
Today, Lebanon continues to bring people together, including one of my favorite events, the Warren County Fair. It is a place where neighbors gather to celebrate community and tradition. We have an office there, and it is one of my favorite places. It is still remarkable 215 years later.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Utah?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, House Republicans are doubling down on our commitment to supporting and protecting the rights and safety of women and girls across the country. We are doing this by championing bills that fight back against unfair competition in sports and dangerous immigration policies.
Yesterday, we passed Congressman Steube's Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which is now on its way to the Senate. This legislation prevents biological males from competing in school athletic programs for women and girls by requiring that sex in athletic competition be determined by genetics at birth.
House Republicans are also supporting Congresswoman Mace's Violence Against Women By Illegal Aliens Act, which amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make illegal immigrants inadmissible and deportable from the United States if they are convicted of or have admitted to committing sex offense or domestic violence.
I am grateful to my colleagues for joining me this evening to discuss these important measures and our commitment to delivering for our daughters, sisters, nieces, and granddaughters.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Moran).
Mr. Speaker, I rise today before you to reaffirm the House Republicans' efforts to empower and protect American women and girls. By passing legislation such as Congressman Greg Steube's Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, Congressman Mike Collins' Laken Riley Act, and Congresswoman Nancy Mace's Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, we address significant lapses in our justice, legal, and educational systems, and we push back against a radical left agenda that leaves our society in moral tatters.
Individually, these bills tackle critical issues, and collectively they create a safer, healthier, and more prosperous Nation for our women and girls. That is really important to me and should be to every American. However, as a father of two girls, specifically, I want my girls to have the opportunity to thrive in a society that gives equality to both men and women, that nurtures their growth, and protects their well-being. I do not want to be part of a society that places them at greater risk and reduces their opportunities in this country.
Our daughters should not be forced to adhere to radical policies that undermine truth, safety, and reality, policies that have been pushed for the last 4 years by the Biden-Harris administration. We as a Republican Conference will not sit idly by on this issue, nor have we, as evidenced by the bills that I referenced today.
Let me personally thank, again, Congressman Steube, Congressman Collins, and Congresswoman Mace for their dedication to protecting my two daughters and every daughter, mother, and sister across this Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent all North Dakotans in the United States House of Representatives. This is my first speech on the House floor, and I want to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about our State and what I hope to accomplish during the 119th Congress.
North Dakotans are hardworking, independent, resourceful people who are dedicated to their faith, families, and communities. From Abercrombie to Zap, and every place in between, North Dakotans show up every day, regardless of rain, snow, or subzero temperatures. That is what I will do here.
Our biggest industries in North Dakota are agriculture and energy. We are very proud of those, but we have so many other innovative things taking place: autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, defense technology, and more.
This is why I sought a seat on the Committee on Energy and Commerce, one of the best and most powerful committees on Capitol Hill. From my seat there, I will help advance the interests of our State, particularly in energy.
Before I became a Member of Congress, I served as a public service commissioner for 12 years. I regulated five multistate monopoly utilities, permitted $15 billion worth of new energy infrastructure, and advocated for market rules and policies to support reliable and affordable energy resources.
I saw firsthand the challenges to our energy policy and the direct and dire consequences it has. North Dakotans, and Americans, too, have also seen the impacts of these policies and the prices they pay at the grocery store, at the gas pump, and to power their homes.
American energy reliability, affordability, sustainability, and security are the weakest they have been in years. Take yesterday's action by the Biden administration to lock up millions of acres of oil, gas, and coal leases in North Dakota through the Bureau of Land Management's resource management plan for the State. This is absolutely the wrong direction.
As demand for energy reaches record highs, we should be unleashing American energy production, not shutting it down. It is time to abandon the one-size energy strategy that stifles domestic energy production and jeopardizes hardworking Americans' jobs.
I am eager to work with the Trump administration, Governor Burgum, and my colleagues in the House to invest in a true all-of-the-above energy strategy and regain American energy dominance. Doing so will help reduce America's debt, lower prices for hardworking families, reduce global emissions, and bolster our national security.
I also rise today in support of H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025. This legislation seeks to make sure women and girls have the opportunity to compete on a fair playing field by requiring schools to comply with Title IX recognition of a person's gender at birth.
Competing in girls' sports as a kid gave me strength, taught me resilience, and helped me form lifelong friendships. My experience as a kid would have been completely different if I had been forced to compete against biological males.
Let's let our kids be kids. Let's let our daughters dream big, train hard, and compete on a level playing field.
H.R. 28 is a commonsense bill. It strengthens protections for women, and I was proud to vote for it. Men simply do not belong in women's sports, and House Republicans are leading the charge to ensure fairness for women and girls.
Yet, our commitment to women and families doesn't just stop there. Last week, we also passed the Laken Riley Act, which will give Immigration and Customs Enforcement the tools it needs to hold illegal immigrants who commit theft and other crimes accountable.
This is the Republican agenda in action. We are protecting women, supporting families, and making our communities safer. This is just the beginning of our work.
Mr. Speaker, North Dakota, like Utah, definitely hits above its weight, and the gentlewoman from North Dakota's presence is key on all of these particular issues.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Houchin), our Conference secretary.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Republicans stood united to pass the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025, reaffirming a simple but critical truth: Men are men, and women are women. It is that simple.
As the mother of two daughters who are athletes, I have seen firsthand the hard work and dedication it takes for girls to compete in sports. Sadly, we have witnessed biological men entering women's competitions, robbing female athletes of fair opportunities and, in some cases, even causing injuries.
Under House Republican leadership, that ends now. This legislation, which I am proud to cosponsor, sends a clear message: Female athletes deserve fair competition, secure locker rooms, and a safe and level playing field.
Thanks to House Republicans, the days of biological men competing in women's sports are over. This legislation is about restoring common sense. It is about standing up for objective truth.
The American people have called for this national mandate supporting women and girls in their sports and spaces, and thanks to Republican leadership, we are delivering on that promise. I am proud to stand with Congressman Steube on the side of fairness, safety, integrity, and the protection of women's sports.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa), who has been through the devastation that we are seeing there, and our hearts go out to those in California. His district has been hit by this several times, and I will say that hearing the stories and conversations he has from his district, it just puts it into perspective. This is tough stuff. He has been down this road before and has been a strong leader on communicating
Mr. Speaker, California has had a lot of problems inflicted upon it, partly by nature and partly self-inflicted by governing.
As we bring resources and aid to southern California and reflect here on these horrific events happening with the fire down there in the Pacific Palisades and surrounding communities, it is very sobering but also points out the need for leadership and competency in preparing for it. It is really basic stuff.
The north part of the State has been through it many times, with the losses of communities. We all remember the Paradise fire. Eighty-five people lost their lives, and 90 percent of the town was consumed.
We have to do better in the preparation ahead of time before fire season on how we treat the lands and have the apparatus ready, instead of complications due to contracts, for example, with the Forest Service not being ready to have the equipment that would be there in the forests, and on and on.
I appreciate that, and we are going to do the best we can to move as quickly as possible for the folks in southern California and then ongoing to build up the infrastructure and the work that needs to be done.
As tonight's topic has been, when we are talking about protecting our citizens and our border, California, as well, under the direction of Gavin Newsom, has become a haven for illegal immigration. The taxpayers are footing the bill for an ever-expanding list of unbelievable benefits that are being given to illegal immigrants.
From healthcare to education, sex changes, homes, the whole works, California is pouring resources into supporting those here illegally while our own citizens, as we mentioned, are struggling with many things in burning communities, as well as the more day-to-day stuff: overcrowded schools, strained healthcare systems, and increasing public safety concerns with gangs, crime, and on and on.
We have sanctuary policies statewide, not just in cities, like we see around the country. This is a statewide sanctuary policy that protects illegal immigrants from ICE being able to pick them up when it is found that we have illegals in this country that could be processed federally and, hopefully, deported.
Cities across California are openly defying Federal immigration laws, creating safe havens for those who have broken the law. These sanctuary cities as well are not just a burden on our resources; they are a threat, as I said, to public safety. We have seen this firsthand, most recently in this country with the tragic loss and death of Laken Riley, and you will remember a few years ago in San Francisco on the wharf there, Kate Steinle was killed by a bullet from a gun that an illegal immigrant had found, taken, stolen, or whatever. Those lives are gone, and it is a tragedy for their families.
What are we going to do to avenge them? What are we going to do to make it right? These two innocent women lost their lives due to these violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants who are protected by these sanctuary policies.
Tomorrow, hopefully, we will take up the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, introduced by my colleague Nancy Mace from South Carolina. This crucial bill aims to close the loopholes that would allow violent offenders to slip through the cracks and continue to pose a threat to our country.
It is high time we prioritize the safety and security of our citizens and the needs of our people, particularly women, who would be and have been the victims of these violent crimes.
In my home State, California's approach is not sustainable. We are overcrowded and overrun with crime, gangs, and broken services, as I mentioned.
Governor Newsom's policies are draining our resources and compromising public safety. His priorities are illegal aliens and all sorts of benefits for them, which we keep seeing on and on, again and again, as the State is running a deficit and spending on things like high-speed rail instead of helping on fire safety and having our water supply renewed for all those good reasons.
Instead of prioritizing the well-being of California, the State is offering a free pass again and again to those coming into the country illegally. We have become the State that is the magnet for all of it, away from the other States.
As we have said, it is high time to put a stop to this. Let's stand behind this legislation, the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, and ensure that we are doing everything possible to protect our cities and the people who live within them, especially the women, as we think of Laken Riley, Kate Steinle, and too many others who have already paid the ultimate price.
We need to focus entirely on the needs of folks like that, and hopefully, there will be some sense of closure or satisfaction for their families to see that at least we have done the right thing ultimately.
With President Trump coming in, in just a few short days, I think we can finally get the momentum to do what we need to do with enforcing our border and allowing legal immigration, allowing people who we invite into the country.
We are still for immigration, just follow our rules, follow our laws, and pass a few reasonable tests in order to be part of the American Dream. We extend that. That is what the country was based on for so many years, and it has completely gone awry in the last 50.
Why does the Biden administration and my colleagues on the other side believe that this is good policy and keep getting away with it politically? Why is that seen as a good thing?
I think folks have really had their fill of it now because they are seeing it really showing up in their pocketbooks and their ability to afford a home, have a job, and not continue to get further and further behind, as this country has always aspired to have the next generation be just a little bit better off than the previous one.
Mr. Speaker, that is not happening now. You can lay policies such as this right at the feet of our poorest border, as well as bad energy policies and other things causing inflation.
With that, this is a very important thing we are working on this week, so we can assure the women of this country that we are behind them. We do have their backs on this violence, as well as the previous legislation mentioned, on women and girls in sports having a safe place to play and enjoy and excel without men somehow interfering on those fields, in those locker rooms.
It is common sense. I can't believe we are here at this point. We are battling back here in this Congress with Republican leadership doing so.
I appreciate Mr. Moore leading us here tonight, and I thank him for the time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California. Again, we continue to pray that the best outcomes possible will continue to happen for California.
Mr. Speaker, my next speaker from Montana (Mr. Downing) is a brand- new Member and our concluding speaker here today. We consider ourselves, as a Utahn and Montanan, the greatest portion of the country, wouldn't you say, out West? We have a lot to prove that.
The gentleman is a new Member but a very experienced, thoughtful, and strong Member that I look forward to working with. I thank him for being here.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Downing).
Mr. Speaker, House Republicans have hit the ground running in the 119th Congress.
Last week, we considered bills to hold accountable illegal aliens who break our laws and defend U.S. national sovereignty against a rogue international judicial body.
This week is about protecting the women in all of our lives. I am a father to two wonderful daughters and a husband to my amazing wife, Heather. Never in a million years did I think that one day I would need to take the floor of the United States House of Representatives to defend their right to compete in athletic competitions without unfair competition from biological males or to denounce acts of violence perpetrated against them as
Just yesterday, we passed H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. This bill ensures fair competition in women and girls' sports by rightfully defining gender based on reproductive biology and genetics and prohibiting males identifying as women from competing in federally funded sporting competitions.
I was proud to add my support to this critical legislation, and I look forward to voting for a second bill, the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, on the House floor tomorrow.
H.R. 30 will ensure that illegal aliens who have been convicted of or admit to committing sex offenses or domestic violence can be deported by closing a loophole in existing law.
Needless to say, the fact that we need to consider legislation of this kind is ludicrous. Simple truths that we once took for granted are under assault from ideological corners of our Nation that do not represent the vast majority of Americans and certainly not the vast majority of Montanans.
When America overwhelmingly elected Donald Trump to be our next President, they gave Republicans a clear mandate to reverse course on the progressive policies threatening the safety and well-being of our daughters, nieces, granddaughters, and sisters. This week Democrats have a chance to show us whose side they are on. I know where I stand.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Montana. I appreciate all that we have been able to enact thus far.
Mr. Speaker, I close tonight and just thank my colleagues for being here tonight and for taking the time to speak on this important issue.
As I mentioned earlier, House Republicans are committed to advancing legislation that supports our women and girls and gives them a fair chance to excel in their athletic endeavors.
The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act ensures biological males are unable to compete in female-designated sports, giving women and girls the opportunity to compete on a fair playing field by requiring schools to comply with the Title IX recognition of a person's genetics at birth. This bill withholds Federal funding from schools that facilitate athletic programs where biological men compete against biological women.
To be clear, this is not about disrespecting anyone. Everyone is worthy of dignity and respect. However, protecting women and girls from feeling uncomfortable in their locker rooms, sustaining major sports injuries because of unfair competition, or simply losing out on well- deserved athletic accolades because they are genetically unable to beat a male is not purely political effort. It is simply what is right.
This is a line that we must draw, and we know that Americans agree with this.
I have joked before about a couple of things. I have four boys. I wasn't blessed with a girl. We lament it every day. I do love those boys, though. I push them hard in sports.
I reflect on this about my nieces, and they are dynamite athletes and, candidly, can probably beat me in most of their assigned sports, such as tennis and soccer, across the board. That is what motivates me on this.
The amount of confidence that you get from sports is key. The ability to compete and play and enjoy this, above anything else, with all of the extra pressures that are placed on kids nowadays with social media pressure and everything, the concepts of teamwork that you learn, achieving something, getting better at something, and having the ability to say that you have a shot to win that competition cannot be beaten into my nieces.
They have to be able to say, with a level playing field, they can go win this, not because it is important to win that gold ribbon or this or that or win the track meet. It is because they need to know that the effort they put in can achieve something.
That is going to translate into a career, into anything that they get involved with where they have to accomplish something. It is not just about sports. It is a psychological element that we need to make sure exists.
Sports is such a key, important aspect for growth in people, and that is what we are trying to do here. Let's not make this a political endeavor. At least you won't ever get that from me and my office and the way we communicate about this.
Additionally, House Republicans this week are standing up for women's safety by bringing to the floor Congresswoman Mace's Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act to uphold the U.S. border laws and make illegal immigrants who have been convicted of or admitted to sex offenses or domestic violence inadmissible and deportable.
This bill is about closing critical gaps in our crimes. Last year, over 20,000 illegal immigrants were not detained for sexual assault. As of July, over 650,000 with criminal histories were on the ICE non- detained docket. This must change. This bill takes action to get these violent offenders off of our streets and make our communities safe again.
I am grateful for the work my Republican colleagues have done to push these bills forward. We are wasting no time to get some of the sensible legislation that we were able to get passed and went nowhere in the Senate in the last Congress, and we want to give the Senate an opportunity to vote on this again.
I sincerely believe there will be Democrats who see the sensible approach with this. We are also seeing it with the bill we passed last week, the Laken Riley Act.
Again, I thank Congressman Steube and Congresswoman Mace for their leadership on these critical issues. To my colleagues, again, I appreciate their willingness to spend some time down here today.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy) for 30 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Utah for his remarks and all of the good stuff we have started off with as Republicans in this Congress and his remarks about athletics.
I was a walk-on in college. I hope all of us might be able to work together to figure out how to deal with this bit of a mess that the NIL is creating with respect to college athletics.
I watched significant fallout and wondered what it meant for good programs and coaches, like Tony Bennett at the University of Virginia and others, who have been raising red flags about what is happening with respect to the NIL. We can also figure out how to cut spending.
Mr. Speaker, I am not here to talk about the NIL. I will save that for another day, notwithstanding the national championships coming up around the country which the University of Texas should be playing in. Unfortunately, they are not.
Republicans were given the opportunity to have control of the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, and the White House. Come Monday, President Trump will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, and it can't come a moment too soon.
For everybody watching what is happening to our country, what this current administration is doing to our border, to our national security, to our spending, to the state of our culture, to the rule of law in the streets, the use of lawfare, the abuse of power, this can't come fast enough for most Americans.
The question before us right now as Republicans is whether or not we are going to deliver. Last time I checked, the American people did not send us to Washington and they did not give us the majority in the United States House of Representatives, the people's House, to rack up more deficits.
With all due respect to my Republican colleagues, we are currently on track to do just that. We are projected to have a $2 trillion-deficit next year. As we speak, interest rates are going up, our debt is getting refinanced at higher interest rates, and we have more debt that we are going to have to finance at higher rates. That means interest is going up. We have a job to do right now to cut spending, cut deficits, and save our country for our children.
I would wager that if I looked at the campaign materials or the speeches of
The question before this body is going to be: Will they do it?
I need to clear the record because my name has been invoked, and that of a number of my friends, for standing for things that are not true. My name has been invoked by people in this room, by colleagues about what I believe and don't believe.
Let me set the record straight right here, right now. Yes, I believe that we should make permanent the Trump tax cuts from 2017. I think that would be good for our economy. I think that would be good for the American people. I think that would help create more economic growth, and I think that economic growth would yield revenue to the Treasury.
I believe in what people call dynamic scoring; some people in this town say that I do not. What I do not believe in is making up numbers. What I do not believe in is magic fairy dust that says the budget will magically balance if you cut taxes and never cut spending because that is simply not true.
If I come to the floor and this Chamber is full and I ask any one of my colleagues to stand up and look the camera in the eye and tell their people back home on C-SPAN or on the news that, for example, child tax credits pay for themselves or changing certain rates pay for themselves, not one of them will stand up.
I promise you that we are going to be facing votes on this floor this year to extend the tax cuts that include, for example, child tax credits and other tax policies that in no way, shape, or form, economically speaking, pay for themselves.
We are going to be told to do that on faith, that the growth in the economy will magically produce revenue and cause deficits to go down. Nothing in our history would tell you that is true.
How do you think we got to $36 trillion in debt? It was by refusing to do basic math.
We are told we are not going to touch any kind of reforms in healthcare or Medicare to drive down the price of healthcare so that we can save Medicare from its clear insolvency, and Social Security from its clear insolvency. It is going to go bankrupt in, what, 8 years. So we are not going to talk about those things.
What we are going to talk about, we are told, is to extend the tax cuts and then sit around and try to figure out how to cut other mandatory spending without regard to whether or not that will be deficit reducing.
I think it is really important for the American people to understand this: There are games being played in Washington right now to put pressure on people to box them in, to box Members of this body in.
Right now, conservatives in the House Freedom Caucus are often maligned on the pages of publications as being the rightwing guys because oddly enough we believe in freedom, balanced budgets, and securing the border. Yes, we are the crazy ones. The House Freedom Caucus has proposed, put forward, a plan to raise the debt ceiling over $4 trillion over 2 years; fund the border at $86 billion, the request by the incoming administration and border czar Tom Homan; fund defense modernization at $200 billion plus-up, a separate fund through reconciliation, so we can modernize our defense and do what we need to do to beat China.
What we are asking for for that is to reverse some of Biden's policies, which are all things that the President campaigned on. Reversing the EV mandate is $117 billion. Medicaid work requirements and SNAP work requirements are $120 billion. Undo the student loan bailouts, which are an unfair shift of money from the working population to those who took on student loans, that is 100 to $270 billion of savings.
Again, I want to be very clear because here is what you are going to hear in the coming weeks: The House Freedom Caucus refuses to do a debt ceiling so reasonable Republicans are going to have to go cut a deal with Democrats to increase the debt ceiling, increase appropriations over our current spending levels, including defense and nondefense, and, oh, by the way, give a crud ton of money to California.
That is coming. That is coming.
They will try to blame the Freedom Caucus and conservatives like me who dare say, hold on a second, maybe we shouldn't do that. Maybe we should come up with another path forward to actually honor our commitments to cut spending and reduce the size and scope of government while we cut taxes, secure the border, and do the things we are supposed to do.
Again, we have put forward a plan. We have shared it with our colleagues. We have shared it with the incoming administration. We are making it public. That plan will increase the debt ceiling so that Chuck Schumer can't play games with the bond market, fund border, fund defense, cut some of the disastrous Biden policies to pay for those things the American people prioritize, and in so doing, free up defense to be modernized and built so that when we come to March we don't have to do what happens every year where defense hawks sell their souls to the devil to raise defense spending all driven by K Street lobbyists and the defense contractors in this town who define our defense policy so that Democrats can get increases in nondefense spending, which is an increase in programs, and our discretionary budget keeps going up and up and up and up, and you keep funding the very bureaucrats that the DOGE folks say they want to cut.
I have this wild idea for these crazy conservatives in the Freedom Caucus that maybe, just maybe, we should change the game. Maybe, just maybe, we should take that money, go build our defense through reconciliation, level the playing field, pass either a continuing resolution or spending at the caps that we put in place this last year, hold spending frozen for the rest of this year, go do the appropriations process, let DOGE do its work, cut spending to pre-COVID levels, save about a trillion dollars over a decade, do our job to actually deliver on the promises that we made, give wins to the President of the United States, give wins to Republicans, unite the party, unite the country, and demonstrate that we can do our job.
But you know why we can't? You know why we can't do that right now? Because the forces in this town who want nothing but tax cuts and no spending cuts are telling you, you can't do it. That is what is happening.
The lobbyists, the people in this town, Members of Congress are saying that we can't cut because there is some program, there is something in Medicaid, there is some reason, there is some excuse, but, gosh, we are definitely going to go ahead and reinstate all the tax policies because they read in some book a long time ago that they all pay for themselves irrespective, by the way, of the Laffer curve or any commonsense economics.
What I will say to you right now is that if any of my Republican colleagues want to come down to the floor and tell me that each one of those tax provisions pay for themselves, I want to see it. Show me that the child tax credits pay for themselves. I am not saying the child tax credits may not be decent policy. I will tell you right now I would love to vote on a bill right now to just eliminate the tax code and zero it out. Maybe we will do that before this year is over. Maybe everybody will have to put their money where their mouth is. Do you believe in taxation or not? Because if you think you can just freely print money and fund all the things you are too afraid to go back to your district and say that there is a limit on what you can spend while out of the other side of your mouth you talk about tax cuts, let's vote on a bill to zero out the tax code because if you're going to constantly live with $2 trillion deficits, which is where we are right now, why not $6 trillion? Why does it matter? That is a genuine question. Anybody in the complex can feel free to come down here and explain to me why my family, your family, my constituents' families should pay taxes into a system that is designed by this body to bleed 2 trillion-plus dollars a year.
They keep talking about tax policy that is good for economic growth. Okay. Yes, I agree. I support it. I started this speech by saying I support it, but I don't support it blindly. I don't support it without recognizing our responsibility and our need to cut spending. There ain't no free lunch. You
By the way, when all the people out there on Twitter say Chip Roy is railing against a balanced budget amendment, I would respond, no, I am not. I am for a balanced budget amendment. Sign me up. I have cosponsored it. I will vote for it. In the odd event we pass it when it has whatever line it is going to have in it in an exception for national security, do you not believe that everything will be a national emergency?
Do you believe that the insatiable appetite of your Members of Congress to spend money on programs will end because you inserted an amendment in the Constitution that says we must balance the budget? I can promise you every time we hit a debt ceiling, what will happen is we are going to raise the debt ceiling.
The American people sent us here to actually change things. The American people didn't send us here to keep racking up debt. We are $36.3 trillion in debt. It is piling up around our ears. As my friend David Schweikert from Arizona points out every time he comes to the floor of the House, the interest is piling up. It is going up. We are refinancing our debt. We are paying a trillion dollars a year in interest, and that is about to be 1.2, about maybe 1.4. It is going to be $2 trillion pretty soon.
My colleagues are running around like chickens with their heads cut off squawking about what they need to do on tax policy--again, a policy I support--but without recognizing the mathematical need to have spending cuts at least or more than what you think will happen with respect to revenue when you change the tax policy.
The American people expect us to be adults. You cannot have your cake and eat it too. You cannot just go straight to the dessert of going home to your constituents and saying, I cut your taxes, aren't you proud? You can't just get on your donor calls and say, man, I really made sure that your corporate rates are great, and we are making sure your capital gains rates are great, and then not do the other side of the work. You have got to eat your vegetables. You have got to actually do the job.
As I said, I will vote to zero out taxes. We didn't have an income tax for the first half of this country's existence. I think that is great.
You know what else? We didn't take on every single issue in the Federal Government because the Constitution didn't contemplate it. Now we take on all the issues, and we don't pay for them. We sprinkle magic fairy dust around here, borrow money, print money, mortgage our kids' future, and pretend to be adults. I do not for the life of me believe that we can actually change this all in a year. This is the last argument I want to present, and then I am going to recognize my good friend from Pennsylvania.
I said there are people out there who are saying that I don't believe in the dynamic impact of tax policy. That is false. I very much believe in the dynamic impact of tax policy. If we leave money in the hands of the American people and we produce revenue, we produce growth, and that means some additional revenue will come into the Treasury because of the economic growth--yes, but not all of it.
Other people will say, well, gosh, you guys, dollar for dollar you want to make sure that all these cuts are going to add up to the debt ceiling. No, I just want some common damn sense. Just show me some actual cuts up front. Again, I want to reiterate, the House Freedom Caucus conservatives, have put forward a plan and shared it. It will accomplish the objectives. The media and our colleagues will say that they don't want to do that, they can't do that. Well, we have done it. We have put it forward.
Now I want to call on my colleagues and ask them: Well, what is your plan? Because we have a plan, and that plan is to deliver right out of the gate. The President gets sworn in on Monday. Let's secure the border. Let's fund it. You want to have a strong national defense that is not woke, fund it. Do it now, and take it off the ledger in March when we are going to be told that we must eat more spending in government and California money and a $10 trillion debt ceiling increase.
Let's do it right now. Let's do the hard work. Let's extend the debt ceiling 2 years, fund the border, fund defense, give the cuts and the EV mandates, put in Medicaid work requirements. These are all things the American people want us to do. Let's end the student loan bailouts, save money, end bad programs, advance good programs. Let's secure our country, help the President, give him wins, give the American people wins, give us a chance to actually freeze spending in March and in September to stop the growth of the bureaucracy. Let's give Elon and Vivek and DOGE the ability to do what they want to do, which is cut the bureaucracy, which they can't do if we keep funding it.
We can do that, but if my colleagues are going to insist on putting us in a box and telling the world because Chip says, you know what, I think we should put everything on the table, all taxes, until we make sure we are getting enough cuts with respect to the tax policy, and then they have the audacity to go out and say, Chip won't vote for a bill unless there is a corporate tax increase. That is a lie. Anybody who says that is a liar because that is not what I am saying. Anybody who says I don't believe in dynamic scoring is lying. That is the truth.
What I want to do is make sure we save our country. What I don't want to do is play games. Unfortunately, all too often too many of my colleagues want to play games.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding.
I am happy to join him, and I am happy to join him in what I think he is saying, which is what I am saying. I am saying yes to fulfilling the President's agenda and mandate to secure the border, yes to the President's agenda and mandate to strengthen our military, and yes to the President's agenda and mandate to reduce the cost-of-living and inflationary pressures that printing--creating out of whole cloth, out of nothing--money floating around in the economy making every single good, service, and purchase more expensive.
I say yes to fixing all that. As one of the people who, like Chip, is often maligned and people characterize us as part of the no caucus, we are here saying yes. Yes, we want to fix it.
We don't want to increase the debt limit, but we understand that we have to pay the Nation's bills. So, all we are saying is that as long as there is a plan to stop increasing the ever-increasing debt, then we can be on board, and we have a plan.
We have offered a plan, and we can be onboard with that to not let Chuck Schumer decide what the cost of increasing the debt ceiling is going to be and not force the American people to keep on paying for things that this government shouldn't be buying and can't afford, that taxpayers can't afford.
We want to do this. We are here to say yes and here to save our country, but we are not signing up for fake savings and spending: If you raise the debt ceiling, then we will make sure we grow our way out of it by projecting 3.5 or 4 percent growth for the next 10 years.
Let's quit fooling ourselves. That is not going to happen. We absolutely want to say yes to making sure that the American people continue to enjoy the tax cuts that we gave them, that we got, that we secured, and that we fought for during the first Trump administration. We want to continue that. We want to secure that.
We wish we could have done that then, but since that time, the Biden administration has increased spending by $6 trillion. Somehow, something has to give.
Mr. Speaker, look at the recent bond market sales. Interest rates are going up. My good friend from Texas already mentioned the fact that every time it goes up 100 basis points, it increases the cost of the debt that we have to
We get nothing for it. All we are paying for is interest on the debt. We don't get any new government programs, and we don't get any new and better military programs. We don't get anything for it. It is just debt and interest payments that we are paying for things that we bought in the past.
All that we are saying is, look, if you have a better plan than we do, God bless it. Let's see it, and let's see the real cuts.
Like I said, I am with Chip. We want to pay for the border and our military, and we want to use things like EV mandates to pay for that stuff.
As far as student loan giveaways that aren't constitutional, which the Biden administration is offering, we are saying, look, let's repurpose that money for things that we do need to pay for, like the border and the military.
Let's have some reasonable cuts. Let's increase the debt ceiling as necessary, but only as necessary. We are not even asking for dollar for dollar on the debt ceiling.
If you have something better and more reasonable, I am standing here, so let's see it.
The clock is ticking. The President is inaugurated in a couple of days here. We are supposed to be after this, and here we stand.
As far as I know, with all due respect to everybody in the Chamber, the only plan I have seen is the one we have offered.
We stand ready to save our country in any way that we can, but the clock is ticking, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Pennsylvania for his remarks.
Mr. Speaker, he is right. The clock is ticking. We can't let another legislative day go and another legislative day go in which we don't deliver. The American people expect us to deliver.
We can and will deliver tax policy that is progrowth and that extends what we did in 2017. We will deliver spending cuts if we get in the room and work, but it is going to take time.
It is going to take time to undo the damage of the Biden administration and for us to go through everything that we need to go through to identify the cuts that we can all work through, but we will do it if we have the willpower to do it and if we can do math and understand that we need deficits to go down.
What we are saying is, let's deliver right now. Do not risk border security by pushing it off months into the future.
Right now, while we are talking about it, there are criminal aliens convicted of murder in their country, some more than one time, walking around our country. They are going to stay here until we can deport them, and we are not offering the money to the incoming administration to do that work.
We could do that right now if the House would act. Right now, pass the budget, pass the instructions, and do exactly what we just laid out. Do the debt ceiling increase, do the funding for the border, and give it to Tom Homan tomorrow.
In a matter of 1 or 2 weeks, we can get that out of this Chamber and over to the Senate. By February, they would have money for defense, money for the border and a fence, and a debt ceiling that is gone.
We would have undone some of the worst Biden policies and paid for all of it. That is precisely what the American people sent us here to do.
Instead, this Chamber currently is locked in a cycle of talking about what we might do. We have to move for the American people. That is why we put forward an approach that we believe will work.
It is really important--really important--for the American people to understand that what is happening in this town is that games are being played by people who want to try to leverage those of us who want to cut spending. That is the bottom line.
I am speaking for myself right here. There are some of my colleagues who want to attach the border funding to the bills that we are moving forward without--they don't believe that we will get to the spending cuts that will make those of us who believe we need deficits to go down happy. They want to try to force us to eat increased deficits in order to achieve the border security funding.
I don't think we should play games with the border security. I don't think we should play games with defense. I don't think we should play games with getting the debt ceiling cleared off without giving more power to Chuck Schumer and Democrats to mess with us in March.
We can win across the board if we adopt this plan, and I would strongly recommend that we move forward with this plan so that we can deliver for the President and deliver for the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the gentleman from Texas. We don't have much time to do this. While we talk and talk, we have also been given a mandate for transformational change.
To my good friend from Texas, transformational change doesn't include doing the same thing we always do around here, which is cram a bunch of garbage into one big bill, put one thing in that somebody has to have, that we have to have it, which is border security, and say: Suck down all that garbage for the one thing that you need and force the American people to do it, too.
We don't have to accept bad choices for the one thing that we need. We can have all good choices.
Mr. Speaker, I would remind people that what happened before Christmas was precisely that, trying to cram down a bunch of stuff in a big bill, and it met with resounding failure.
Let's not do that. Let's make the 119th Congress be about success, delivering on the President's agenda and on the Republican agenda, the agenda we ran on, and, most importantly, delivering for our kids and grandkids a world in which they can actually live free from worrying about China, free from worrying about debt, and free from worrying about open borders and criminals on the streets.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Pennsylvania for his remarks, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 6 o'clock and 23 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 9 a.m.
